Alliance for Worker Freedom 2012 Ballot Roundup
Download Available: Alliance for Worker Freedom 2012 Ballot Roundup
The Alliance for Worker Freedom was watching four ballot measures in three states, all of which failed. AWF urged Idahoans to adopt teacher tenure and compensation reform, Californians to implement paycheck protection safeguards, and Michigan’s residents to reject a proposition that prohibits adjustments to collective bargaining agreements.
Below you will find a summary of the ballot measures and the percentage of the vote each received.
Michigan, Prop. 2: NO 61 percent, YES 39 percent
Alliance for Worker Freedom urged a “NO” vote on Proposition 2
This measure would have enhanced union powers in two ways. First, it would have enshrined private and public sector employees’ collective bargaining rights in the state constitution. Second, it would empower most union contracts to override state and local laws regarding employee compensation, work conditions, and union funding.
On the first point, collective bargaining is already allowed by state and federal law. Under Proposal 2, while no new rights are afforded, the system can only change by way of another constitutional amendment. The legislature would be stripped of its ability to make even small changes to public sector collective bargaining privileges.
The most important point is that Prop. 2 would have allowed collective bargaining agreements to supersede state and local laws. Collective bargaining provisions that address wages, hours, and work conditions will override any state laws dealing with those issues. And Prop. 2 would “invalidate existing or future state or local laws…including employees’ financial support of their labor unions.” That means that laws dealing with government collection of union dues (“paycheck protection”) are out of the question as long as collective bargaining agreements permit those collections.
California, Prop. 32: NO 55 percent, YES 45 percent
Alliance for Worker Freedom urged a “YES” vote on Proposition 32
This important Paycheck Protection initiative would have prohibited corporations and labor unions from automatically deducting funds from their employees’ paychecks to be spent for political purposes. Labor unions pose great opposition to this measure, fearing it would eliminate their clout and influence in California politics.
Idaho: Propositions 1: NO 57 percent, YES 43 percent
Proposition 2: NO 58 percent, YES 42 percent
Alliance for Worker Freedom urged a “YES” vote on Propositions 1 and 2
A yes vote on Proposition 1 would have kept in place Senate Bill 1108, which ended public school teacher tenure, eliminated seniority as a determining factor teacher firing decisions, and limited collective bargaining for teachers. The law that approval of Prop. 2 upholds improves the teacher compensation process and saves the state $9.4 million annually.
A yes vote on Proposition 2 would have preserved Senate Bill 1110, which instituted a merit pay system for teachers. The law that voter approval of Prop. 2 would have upheld rewards quality teachers with higher pay and institutes a meaningful system for evaluating teachers. Higher costs are offset by other education reforms instituted in 2012.
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