What Admendment Provide Some Workers and Their Families With the Right to Continue
- Billy Dycus is the president of the Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council, which is the leading voice for over 60,000 working people statewide.
- As you prepare to head to the polls this fall, ask yourself what's in it for those backing Amendment 1.
- The bottom line is this: they are most concerned with continuing to line their own pockets.
One of the historical figures who politicians on both sides of the aisle frequently reference in their remarks is Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
As we celebrate Labor Day, I'd like to do the same.
The following is an excerpt from one of Dr. King's most well-known quotes related to workers' rights.
"In our glorious fight for civil rights, we must guard against being fooled by false slogans, such as 'right to work.' It is a law to rob us of our civil rights and job rights. Its purpose is to destroy labor unions and the freedom of collective bargaining by which unions have improved wages and working conditions of everyone…"
These words are of particular importance this year to those of us who are fortunate enough to count ourselves among the members of Tennessee's labor movement.
'Right to work' is not bedrock of state's economic growth
In just over two months, Tennesseans will head to the polls to cast their votes in the Nov. 8 general election.
Among the many decisions we'll make are whether four proposed amendments should be added to our state Constitution.
The first of those, Amendment 1, would enshrine Tennessee's "right to work" law in this sacred document.
On Labor Day, as we mark a day that is so important to working people, I am taking this opportunity and asking all Tennesseans to vote "no" on Amendment 1 this fall.
I'd also like to briefly offer my thoughts on some of the "facts" in a recent opinion column from Yes on 1's "Executive Committee," which is made up of lobbyists from the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), Tennessee Chamber of Commerce, and the Beacon Center of Tennessee.
These groups, along with Tennessee's current and immediate former billionaire governors, have formed an alliance in an attempt to convince voters that "right to work" is the bedrock of our state's economic growth.
Only about 10% of Tennesseans is represented by a union
Not once do they mention that it's actually the hard-working people of Tennessee that have labored to make that happen, using millions of their tax dollars to provide incentives for businesses to locate in the state.
In the authors' urgent push to add "right to work" to the state constitution to supposedly protect workers' freedoms, they fail to mention that during the law's 75-year existence, there's never been a serious effort to challenge or repeal it.
Over 90% of Tennessee's workforce is not represented by a labor union and those that do work where there is a labor union don't have to belong to the union.
By law, however, they are afforded all the benefits of those that choose to belong to a union.
That's freeloading at its finest.
Send a message of solidarity at the ballot box
As you prepare to head to the polls this fall, ask yourself what's in it for those backing Amendment 1.
The bottom line is this: they are most concerned with continuing to line their own pockets and doing it by any means necessary.
These groups and their wealthy supporters already have too much power in our state.
Working families deserve to have their needs addressed, too.
Dr. King concludes the quote that I referenced earlier by stating "We demand this fraud be stopped. Our weapon is our vote."
As a worker and a Tennessean, voting against Amendment 1 allows you to continue to use your voice to counter the corporate giants who are constantly trying to take that voice away.
This November, it's up to all of us to send a message and stand together in solidarity at the ballot box.
Vote "no" on Amendment 1 and protect workers' voices statewide.
Billy Dycus is the president of the Tennessee AFL-CIO Labor Council, which is the leading voice for over 60,000 working people statewide.
Source: https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2022/09/04/back-tennessee-workers-voting-against-right-work-amendment-1/7935800001/
0 Response to "What Admendment Provide Some Workers and Their Families With the Right to Continue"
Post a Comment