Over the past several years, powerful corporations have waged war upon working-poor and middle-class people in the state of Tennessee. They lobbied the legislature to amend our constitution by adding the so-called Right to Work amendment – also known as Amendment 1 – that will be voted on in the November 2022 elections. If passed, Amendment 1 will significantly undermine working-class families that bear the burden of our state’s services, pay the highest state sales taxes in the country, and that bear the burden of sustaining the state’s services. At the same time, the passage of Amendment 1 stands to benefit the top corporations in the state, most of which pay little to no revenue-generating taxes.

So called right to work policies were drafted 80 years ago by racial segregationists who feared unions would lead to integration and smaller profits. In 1961, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stated: “Wherever [right-to-work] laws have been passed, wages are lower, job opportunities are fewer and there are no civil rights.” Civil rights activists also understood that collective bargaining and democracy in the workplace offer the best chance to unify everyday people across racial lines. Thus, they opposed right-to-work policies which represent segregation by another name.

States that have right-to-work laws similar to Amendment 1 have lower pay, more workplace deaths and injuries, weaker family and medical leave policies, lower school funding, and stagnant economies. Amendment 1harms working Tennesseans. It is bad policy and bad ethics, contrary to the values of equity and justice.

Together, as people of diverse professions, background and faiths, we will vote against Amendment One, and take action to encourage others to vote No with us. Early voting is October 19th to November 3rd. Election day is November 8th.

Tennessee deserves better.
We say No to corporate greed and poverty wages, No to a rigged system,
No to Amendment 1.  

The community, faith and labor leaders listed below agree with the statement above and encourage all Tennesseans to Vote No on Amendment 1.

(organizations listed for identification purposes)

President Vonda McDaniel, Nashville and Middle Tennessee Central Labor Council

Vice President June Rosten, Knoxville Oak Ridge Central Labor Council

President Kevin Bradshaw, Memphis and West Tennessee Central Labor Council

President Sam Alexander, Knoxville Oak Ridge Area Central Labor Council

President Juli Prill, Chattanooga Area Central Labor Council

Marilyn Brown, Chair of the Tennessee State Conference of the NAACP State Labor & Industry Committee

Rev. Francisco García, Vanderbilt Wendland Cook

Yolanda Cunningham, Communication Workers of America (CWA)

Rep. Vincent Dixie

Tikeila Rucker, Memphis For All

Carol Riley, United Association 572

Derrick Figures, Sierra Club

MarQuita Bradshaw, Executive Director Sowing Justice

Business Manager Eric Coons, United Association 572

Rosanne Smith

President, Deloris Collins, Oak Ridge-Anderson County NAACP Branch

President, Hernandez Havard, Maury County N.A.A.C.P. Branch #5584

Rev. Dr. James R. Bailes, Holston Conference, the United Methodist Church

Rev. John Gill, Church of the Savior UCC

Pamela Schoenewaldt, Church of the Savior, UCC Knoxville

Rev. Jim Sessions, Interfaith Worker Justice of East Tennessee

Rev. C. Don Jones

Al Wilkins, Teamster Retired

Florence Smith, AME Church

District Council President Bob Dixon, RWDSU Tennessee

*
Jack Callaway, IBEW local 760

Sherrie Taylor

additional cosponsors