Local unions are celebrating the expected passage of IL Prop 1

Local unions are already celebrating what they see as an important victory for working men and women.

This victory is the expected passage of Illinois Proposition 1, which was on the Illinois midterm ballot on Tuesday, 2022. The proposal — called the Workers’ Bill of Rights Amendment — would enshrine collective bargaining rights under the state constitution if it is formally adopted.

“This is a historic ballot measure,” said Dr. Rosemary Foerer, associate professor of history at Northern Illinois University. “These are not only government workers in the budgetary sphere. These are all workers in the state, including agricultural workers, who are outside the scope of federal law.”

Maylee Smith, staff attorney and director of labor policy at the Illinois Policy Institute, said the workers’ rights amendment gives union leaders too much power.

“It could allow state unions to negotiate almost anything,” Smith said.

On Wednesday, 87% of polling stations reported that signing Act 1 was more than 570,000 votes ahead of repealing it.