On the same day next November when Tennesseans decide whether to re-elect Gov. Bill Lee, they’ll also decide whether the constitutional amendment effort he agreed to lead last week will pass.
Last Monday, the “Yes on 1” Committee announced the governor will be the honorary state chairman for the push to enshrine the right-to-work law in the state constitution. Right-to-work means that employees cannot be forced to join a labor union and pay dues to get or keep their job.
Legislators voted in April to place the issue on the ballot in November 2022. Lee joined Republican leaders and business groups at Vireo Systems in Madison to make the announcement.
“Tennessee is leading the nation with a strong workforce, thanks to a long-held commitment to right-to-work,” Lee said. “A yes on right-to-work means saying yes to a strong economy, good jobs, and merit-based opportunity.”
Since right-to-work is already a state law, and has been since 1947, the amendment will do little to change things except make the process more difficult to undo.