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| Date: | February 2, 2012 | | Contact Name: | Susan Closmore | | Contact Phone: | 651-296-5712 | | Contact Email: | susan.closmore@senate.mn | | For Immediate Release | |
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| SENATOR PAUL GAZELKA CO-AUTHORS EMPLOYEE FREEDOM CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT |
St. Paul- Senator Paul Gazelka (R-Brainerd) joined Senator Dave Thompson (R-Lakeville) Thursday to announce their introduction of a constitutional amendment that would give Minnesotans the opportunity to vote on whether or not Minnesota workers should have the freedom to join a union or not. Currently, if someone is hired by a company with a collective bargaining agreement in place, that person is required to join the union or pay fair share dues.
"This is an employee rights bill and a jobs bill. Any employee should have the freedom to choose to join or not join a union and to pay or not pay union dues,” said Senator Gazelka. "This bill will make a union-employee's union more responsive to his or her individual concerns. I’m proud to co-author this bill that puts decision-making back in the hands of the worker and helps our state economy move forward."
If Minnesotans vote in favor of this amendment, every Minnesota worker would still have the right to join or support a labor union, only now it would be his or her own decision. Union employees would still be able to collectively bargain the same as under current law.
“Our bill is simple: let’s allow Minnesotans to vote on whether or not an individual should be forced to pay a third party in order to work. Jobs are our number one priority – this bill recognizes Minnesota workers’ ability, and right, to decide whether or not they’d like to be part of a union. States that have granted employees this freedom have experienced rapid growth in business, leading to greater job growth. From 1993 to 2009, private sector employment increased nearly 38% in those states versus only 19.6% in forced-unionism states,” said Senator Thompson. “We have an opportunity, as a state, to increase freedom and grow jobs – it’s an opportunity Minnesota cannot afford to turn down.”
