Strong Unions Mean a Strong Economy
- A bigger, stronger middle class makes us all better off.
- When people get a raise, that goes back into local businesses.
- Union contracts guarantee fair treatment for all, including ensuring equal pay for people of color and women—putting more in families’ pockets.
But some big corporations and CEOs want to prevent workers from joining unions precisely because unions put more money in the pockets of ordinary people—and stop them from keeping it for themselves.
- The WORKERS’ RIGHTS AMENDMENT will guarantee the right of workers to bargain for safe working conditions, fair pay, and benefits.
- That includes putting patient care ahead of profit, construction workers being able to speak out about a safety issue, and people being able to negotiate for a fair wage for their hard work.
- It will stop politicians from taking away worker’s freedom to join together and negotiate with their employers.
NEIGHBORING STATES HAVE SUFFERED CONCERTED, SUCCESSFUL
ATTACKS ON LABOR UNIONS and collective bargaining. We have a chance to
prevent those attacks from happening in Illinois by passing the Workers’ Rights
Amendment to the state constitution. This amendment would limit the power of
the General Assembly, state or any local government from restricting or prohibiting
collective bargaining.
Supporting the Workers’ Rights Amendment would mean “right to work” never
comes to Illinois. The amendment would:
- Prevent Wage Cuts. In Indiana, Michigan and Wisconsin, the introduction of right
to work laws lowered inflation-adjusted hourly wages by 3% on average. We can’t
afford that in Illinois—and we need to ensure right to work can’t come to Illinois. - Keep Illinois’ Current Strong Labor Laws. This amendment does not change
our state’s current labor laws. It only creates a constitutional floor for collective
bargaining that will prevent future attacks like those we’ve seen in so many other
states. - Give Working People the Respect We Deserve. The pandemic has been a stark
reminder of how important working people are in a crisis. We deserve respect and
to know our rights will be protected—not just today, but in the future as well.
Vote YES on the Workers’ Rights Amendment to Protect Illinois Workers
For more information, contact Illinois AFL-CIO at 217-544-4014 or visit www.aflcio.org.
