IFCA wants to take this opportunity to inform the IFCA membership about a proposed Illinois Constitutional Amendment #1 on the ballot for this Tuesday’s election. If successful, this amendment will enshrine in the state’s Constitution the rights of workers to organize and collectively bargain as a constitutional right – rather than a right granted by the state statute. Proponents of the amendment, largely government-backed unions, want the measure adopted to preserve their right to organize. The business community, however, believes this amendment will lead to more expensive labor contracts, increasing costs for the business community and local governments alike. Many in the Illinois’ business community is opposed to this amendment.   
  
State and federal laws already allow for most workers in state to unionize. However, under the National Labor Relations Act, some workers are not covered, including agriculture workers, independent contractors, and public sector workers. Under the proposed amendment, all workers in the state would gain the constitutional right to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing for the purpose of negotiating wages, hours, and working conditions.
 
The proposal would also prevent these bargaining rights from changing or being repealed in the future as it mandates that “no law shall be passed that interferes with, negates or diminishes the right of employees to organize and bargain collectively over their wages, hours and other terms and conditions of employment and workplace safety.”  This amendment would protect pro-union rights from future legislatures and governors.
 
For this amendment to be adopted, it needs 60% of the vote, or a simple majority of support voting in the election. If you have more questions regarding the constitutional amendment, please reach out to KJ in the IFCA office.