On the ballot in this year’s midterm election is a proposal to amend our state’s constitution.. From the initial reading, one might think Purposed Amendment #1 – Right to Work is designed to strengthen legislation that has already been passed. However, one must look deeper into the motives and consequences of changing the Tennessee Constitution.
Here’s a look at the current law:
The “Right to Work” laws currently existing in the state allow both the company and the employee to work at will. Both can walk away from the employment agreement. If an employee is fired from their job, they qualify for federal unemployment benefits while seeking employment from another company. If an employee wants to quit their job for a better opportunity, they can leave their employment without being beholden to the company or a Union. All Tennessee businesses run their companies to meet market demand and have the freedom to manage their payroll and other expenses according to their business plan in order to survive and thrive so they can keep their employees employed.
The language in the purposed new amendment reads:
“It is unlawful for any person, corporation, association, or this state or its political subdivisions to deny or attempt to deny employment to any person by reason of the person’s membership in, affiliation with, resignation from, or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization.”
This new amendment specifically would make it unconstitutional to refuse employment regardless of a person’s involvement or affiliation with any union or similar structured work environment.
Sounds good on the surface, but let’s look at an example of how it will work. The Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga needs to hire someone. If a person who belongs to a union, for example The U.A.W. in Detroit relocates to Tennessee and they apply for the position. Since this person has experience in the industry, it would be almost considered discrimination if Volkswagen didn’t hire them. Now, what happens when the employee starts to mention that union wages are much higher and demands from a Tennessee business’s Human Resources person that they match the prevailing union wage the employee is used to? The company would under the newly proposed amendment to The State of Tennessee’s Constitution be bound to accommodate that employee, under threat of litigation because of the sentence in the purposed amendment that reads “…..it is unlawful for a corporation to deny employment to any person by reason of the person’s membership…with any union…”. If this new amendment succeeds the employee is bound to constitutionally prevail if he is not hired and sues Volkswagen.
See what happened here? The company no longer has the authority to hire and fire who the need to run their businesses. This new amendment just stripped the business of their power to run their own businesses.
While all this is happening, how many employees at the plant are now going to refuse the U.A.W.’s promises of higher wages and better benefits? Is any company in Tennessee willing to take that gamble?
This new amendment would be inclusive of ALL Unions and any worker affiliated agent, like The A.F.T that’s pushing Critical Race Theory or Social emotional learning as it’s been renamed to disguise the intent. There are many affiliated organizations; all are basically socialist organizations, disguised to benefit workers, but only the major corporations that operate the unions gain the most profits off the backs of the workers they claim to protect!
We all know what happens next. All the union shops immediately set up shops all over the Tennessee because of the lucrative lower taxes. Then the union representatives flood in and union workers bombard the state.
Of course everyone knows that The Unions, and their representatives and most of their workforce mostly vote for Democratic candidates.
Goodbye, Conservative, red Tennessee if this passes!!!
Here is what the ballot will look like:
Constitutional Amendment #1
Shall Article XI of the Constitution of Tennessee be amended by adding the following language as a new section?
“It is unlawful for any person, corporation, association, or this state or its political subdivisions to deny or attempt to deny employment to any person by reason of the person’s membership in, affiliation with, resignation from, or refusal to join or affiliate with any labor union or employee organization.”
VOTE NO!