Chicago City Wire

Former 43rd Ward Alderman Michele Smith is recommending a “no’ vote on Amendment 1, which would give more power to public sector unions.

“A proposed Amendment to the 1970 Illinois Constitution. I recommend a ‘No’ vote,” Smith, a Democrat, said in an email to supporters.

“The proposed amendment to the Illinois constitution would grant workers a ‘fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing for the purpose of negotiating wages, hours, and working conditions, and to protect their economic welfare and safety at work.’ It would prohibit the state or any local unit of government from enacting ‘any law 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.’”

“I support unions. But the union/employer relationship should be not be in the state constitution. First, this amendment would tie the hands of our legislatures to make even the smallest changes on employment issues, much as our State constitution’s “pension clause" has made it impossible to realistically align pensions to the real needs of our employees and the costs to the taxpayers.”

“Second, we don't know what the amendment covers. For example, in 2019, striking teachers wanted to require CPS to negotiate broad affordable housing policy – an arbitrator ruled that they couldn’t. But this amendment has new language about “economic welfare” that is undefined. Since nothing in the proposed amendment is defined, much less has been subjected to public debate, a court could easily interpret the amendment to require that many items which are not today viewed as terms and conditions of employment would be covered - without bargaining with the employers.”

“Third, it is likely that amendment would apply only to public-sector workers instead of say, Starbucks employees who seek a union, because private-sector workers are already covered by the National Labor Relations Act, which would likely supersede any state law or state constitutional provision.”

“The worst part is that there are no definitive answers to these issues.”

“I agree with the editorial boards of the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald: Vote “No” on Amendment 1 ‘because it is not needed and because unneeded Constitutional provisions unwisely tie the hands of the people's representatives and the representatives of future generations to deal with problems we may not even foresee today.’”

Amendment 1 has been deemed "bad for business" by the Illinois GOP Chairman Don Tracy who said tax-loving Democrats are pushing for the legislation.

“Amendment 1 is being promoted as a Workers’ Rights Amendment," he said. “In reality, however, it is a disguised tax referendum, a Trojan horse that, if passed, is projected to cost a typical family over $2,100 in additional property taxes within the next four years. This property tax increase will be on top of our current property tax burden, which is the second highest in the nation, behind only New Jersey. Amendment 1 is a power grab that would result in a gigantic transfer of government power from we voters and our legislators to State union bosses. If it passes, it would make State government less flexible, less responsive and less efficient, while enriching State union workers at the expense of all other workers.”

Illinois House District 16 candidate Vince Romano said he has uncovered evidence of a scheme to funnel dark money supplied by Democrats in favor of Amendment 1 which would give public sector unions more power.

“Something that needs to be looked into. This looks like dark money which Democrats are supposed to be against,” Romano told North Cook News.

Smith stepped down as alderman after 11 years in office. Her ward covered the Gold Coast, Lincoln Park and the Near North Side.

“My whole life has been bound up in our tree-lined streets,” Smith wrote in her resignation.

She has also encouraged voters not to retain Cook County Chief Judge Tim Evans.

Evans, a Cook County power broker, has run Cook County’s Circuit Court for 8 terms. He has been a judge since 1992.