9 Nov 23rd–Nov 29th, 2023 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Right-to-Work? Coalition launches push to repeal Arizona’s ‘right-to-work’ law. BY TJ L’HEUREUX A campaign to make Arizona more union-friendly is underway, with several state legislators speaking in support of the initiative at an Oct. 25 press conference in Phoenix. The organizing team, a nonprofit called Arizona Works Together, is working to put a measure on the 2024 ballot that would strike “right-to-work” language from the state constitution. Arizona is one of 26 states that have “right-to-work” laws. Under such laws, states have the authority to determine whether workers can be required to join a labor union to get, or keep, a job. For the initiative to be on the 2024 ballot, organizers need to get about 384,000 signatures from Arizona voters. According to the campaign’s chair, Robert Nichols, that doesn’t account for invalid signatures, which can sometimes reach as high as 30%. So the campaign will likely need to collect about 500,000 signatures, he said. Supporters of the initiative who spoke at the press conference recognize it will not be easy to put the measure on next year’s ballot and win in the election. “A campaign of fear will also be launched against this effort, and it will be backed by millions in spending by business owners and their anti-union consultants, who benefit most from right-to-work laws,” said Michael McQuarrie, director of Arizona State University’s Center for Work and Democracy. “It will be said that people won’t invest in states with strong unions, never mind that six of the 10 largest state economies are heavily unionized.” Several state legislators spoke at the press conference, including Reps. Oscar De Los Santos, Cesar Aguilar and Leezah Sun, along with Sen. Eva Diaz. “Part of what we’re doing is coalition building. The other part is pushing for specific language that we have put forward in our ballot initiative,” Nichols told the Phoenix New Times. ‘You have to convince Arizona citizens’ On the surface, “right-to-work” laws appear to favor the free choice of the worker to join or not join a union. However, according to the AFL-CIO, the laws weaken workers’ ability to form unions. “‘Right-to-work’ is the name for a policy designed to take away rights from working people. Backers of right-to-work laws claim that these laws protect workers against being forced to join a union. The reality is that federal law already makes it illegal to force someone to join a union,” according to the AFL-CIO. HCR2008, which would have repealed Arizona’s right-to-work laws, was spon- sored by De Los Santos, a Democrat from Laveen, in January. The bill was eventually held in committees. But Arizona employment attorney Josh Black said Arizona Works Together’s new effort may be successful, even if it is met with initial skepticism. “You have to convince, of Robert Nichols, campaign chair of Arizona Works Together, was joined by state legislators and others during a press conference on Oct. 25. The organization’s proposed ballot initiative would strike “right-to-work” language from the state constitution. (Photo by TJ L’Heureux) | NEWS | >> p 11
