TL/DR –
A non-profit, Arizona Works Together, plans to put a measure on the 2024 Arizona state ballot to remove “right-to-work” language from its constitution. The group aims to collect approximately 500,000 signatures, with the campaign chair stating that about 30% could be invalid. “Right-to-work” laws, present in 26 states including Arizona, allow states to determine if workers must join a labor union to get or keep a job; however, critics argue that these laws weaken the workers’ ability to form unions.
An Initiative to Make Arizona More Union-Friendly
Efforts are underway to make Arizona more union-friendly. In a Phoenix press conference on October 25, several state legislators expressed their support for this initiative. The team behind this movement, Arizona Works Together, seeks to remove ‘right-to-work’ laws from the state constitution and is aiming for a 2024 ballot measure.
Arizona is among 26 states with these laws, which allows states to decide if union membership is mandatory for employment. The campaign will need approximately 500,000 signatures, considering the potential for invalid signatures, to get the initiative on the 2024 ballot, according to campaign chair, Robert Nichols.
The campaign expects strong opposition and high spending by business owners and anti-union consultants. Despite this, Michael McQuarrie, Director at Arizona State University’s Center for Work and Democracy, notes that several of the largest state economies are heavily unionized. Nichols emphasized their efforts in coalition building and preparing specific language for their ballot initiative.
Convincing Arizona Citizens
Although ‘right-to-work’ laws seem to protect a worker’s choice to join a union, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) argues it weakens the ability to form unions. Arizona employment attorney, Josh Black, emphasizes that changing the constitution will require convincing Arizona citizens of the initiative’s merits.
Proposals to repeal Arizona’s ‘right-to-work’ laws, such as HCR2008, sponsored by Democrat Oscar De Los Santos, have previously been held in committees.
Returning to Union Roots
In spite of ‘anti-union’ laws in Arizona’s constitution, organized labor was essential in the state’s early days. Initiatives from the team aim to carry on this legacy by fighting to repeal ‘right-to-work’ laws and create an affirmative right to organize. With the recent rise of unions across the nation, including Arizona, state Rep. Oscar De Los Santos emphasized the demands of workers for a living wage, basic benefits, and freedom to join a union.
State Rep. Cesar Aguilar noted that increased funding from President Biden’s manufacturing laws is resulting in new facilities in Arizona, but unless ‘right-to-work’ laws are repealed, union workers likely won’t be employed in these facilities. Michael Kintscher of United Campus Workers Arizona also expressed support for the measure, which impacts not just university students but also those entering the private sector workforce after graduation.
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