MEMPHIS, Tenn. — As the November midterm election approaches, perhaps the most interesting items on the Tennessee ballot do not involve candidates. Instead, they are four referendum questions that are not being talked about much – but probably should be.
Three of them are no brainers – to make slavery illegal without any exception, to create a clear line of succession should the governor become temporarily unable to serve, and to remove an unenforced ban on clergy members holding legislative office.
But the fourth question is not so clear cut. If approved, it will permanently add Tennessee’s 75-year-old right-to-work law to the state constitution. Supporters include all the heavy hitters among state Republicans, including Gov. Bill Lee, former governor Bill Haslam, and top legislative leaders, all of whom say approving the referendum would be good for business, while making it nearly impossible to remove the state’s right-to-work status in the future.
Opponents are mostly union leaders and Democrats who argue the referendum hurts workers, will make it even more difficult to unionize, and is unnecessary since the state already has a right-to-work law.
As I see it, putting right-to-work language in the constitution does penalize future elected leaders and their constituents who might think differently about unions. Because it’s much easier to change a law than the constitution, which is why this referendum deserves much more public debate than it’s getting.