ILLINOIS (WAND)- In just a few weeks, Illinois voters will decide whether to approve a constitutional amendment giving workers the right to organize and bargain.

“It preserves what unions and workers have fought for for 100 years and puts those rights into a locked box,” Tim Drea, President of the IL AFL-CIO told WAND News.

The Worker’s Rights Amendment would ensure unions can negotiate not only wages and working conditions, but also economic welfare and safety.

“No matter who you are, if you leave home in the morning and you say ‘I’m going to work”, this amendment will protect you,” Drea explained.

But opponents said this will take Illinois out of line with surrounding Right to Work states.

“This is going to portray a message to the rest of the country, and Illinois investors, about the business climate in Illinois,” Todd Maisch, President and CEO of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce told WAND News.

The amendment would ban Right to Work laws, meaning employees could be required to join a union if one is offered.

“A relatively small number of employees that want to say ‘you know what I want to work here, but I don’t want to be compelled to join the union effort’. That’s what Right to work really is- are you going to compel them, force them, to join the union,” Maisch added.

A Supreme court ruling found it was a violation of the First Amendment to force a public employee to join a union and pay dues.

“I don’t have to join a union and pay for all of these things that I don’t agree with,” Maisch explained.

Private companies could begin requiring union membership, if the amendment passes. But Drea said the measure is more about protecting unions down the line.

“This amendment will keep people- legislators, politicians- from coming back and trying to water down those rights,” Drea said.

The ballot measure requires 60% of voters to agree to the measure for it to be added to the Illinois Constitution.

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