Thompson, Republicans, Begin 'Right to Work' Amendment Push

Yesterday, State Sen. Dave Thompson (R-District 36), of Lakeville, officially proposed his "Employee Freedom Bill"—a constitutional amendment that's likely to be as controversial as anything he's proposed as a freshman senator.

The amendment, in a nutshell, .

State Rep. Steve Drazkowski, (R-District 28B), of Mazeppa, co-authored the legislation, and both legislators began lobbying for the amendment in earnest.

“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," Thompson said in a statement. "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."

Shar Knutson, who heads the state's AFL-CIO,told MinnPost that she isn't surprised by Thompson's bill.

"What we saw today is identical to what we've seen in Ohio and Wisconsin," she told MinnPost. "This is a national effort being pushed by corporate interests."

The proposal is strongly opposed by Gov. Mark Dayton, but he would not be able to veto the measure, because as an amendment, it would go to voters in the state as a measure on the November ballot.

According to a story in the Star Tribune, it's not clear if the bill has enough votes to pass both the Senate and House.

Democrats and other opponents say the bill is an effort to weaken unions and drive down wages.

"The fact remains that these laws exist so corporate CEOs can pay their workers less, cut worker benefits and line their own pockets," Knutson told the Pioneer Press.

The bill specifically targets union shops where membership is a condition of employment. The bill would specifically ask voters if the constitution should be amended "to guarantee all citizens the individual freedom to decide to join or not to join a labor union, and to pay or not pay dues to a labor union?"

Thompson said evidence suggests such freedom to leave a union actually creates jobs. He said in a statement that states with similar laws, between 1993 and 2009, saw private sector employment increase nearly 38 percent compared to just 19.6 percent for states without.

"We have an opportunity, as a state, to increase freedom and grow jobs—it’s an opportunity Minnesota cannot afford to turn down," Thompson said.

Drazkowski said it's also about more than just jobs. It's also about freedom.

"In Minnesota law, if a worker refuses to pay union dues, they are fired,'' Drazkowski said in a statement. "This isn't fair and it's definitely not free.''

If passed by both the legislature and voters, Minnesota would become the nation's 24th such state.

Unlike the Wisconsin bill passed last year that caused massive uproar, protests, and even riots, this bill doesn't target or change collective bargaining for unions, Thompson said.

will have more on this bill as warranted.