Support Included Majorities of Democrats and Republicans; Members Think Amendment Will Promote High-Quality Jobs in Illinois
Chicago, IL: Nine-in-ten union members voted in favor of the Workers’ Rights Amendment last year, including bipartisan majorities of Democratic and Republican members—according to a survey of 970 union members who voted in the 2022 midterm election released by the Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI).
The Workers’ Rights Amendment added Section 25 to the Illinois Constitution, guaranteeing the fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively while preventing laws from being passed that interfere with, negate, or diminish that right. Among all ballots cast, the vote was 53% yes and 38% no, with 9% not voting. Of those voting on the ballot question, Illinois residents voted 59% yes to 41% no.
“While we know that the Workers’ Rights Amendment enjoyed bipartisan support across the state, little is known about the impact of rank-and-file union members on its passage,” said PMCR Director, University of Illinois Professor, and study coauthor Robert Bruno, Ph.D. “This survey reveals how union members voted in November 2022, factors that influenced their votes, and how they feel one year later.”
PMCR and ILEPI researchers surveyed a total of 970 Illinois union members who voted in the 2022 midterm elections over 16 weeks between May 5, 2023 and August 25, 2023. The 38-item questionnaire was conducted online using Qualtrics, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s preferred web-based survey tool. The margin of error was ±3.1%.
The results of the survey confirm that union members from across Illinois were interested in and supportive of the Workers’ Rights Amendment.
- The average union voter rated their interest level in the Amendment as an 8.5 on a 0 to 10 scale.
- 67% thought they were “extremely well” or “very well” informed about the Amendment.
- Among all ballots cast by union members, 88% voted yes, 9% voted no, and 3% said that they did not vote on the question—a net yes of 76 points.
- 92% of Chicago area members and 84% of Downstate members voted yes.
- 98% of Democratic members and 61% of Republican members voted yes.
“The labor movement largely came together as one voting bloc to safeguard working-class interests,” added Bruno. “Regardless of political affiliation or geographic interests, union members strongly favored enshrining collective bargaining rights into the Constitution.”
Survey responses show that union endorsements and literature were influential in shaping how members voted on the Amendment (6.7 and 6.8 out of 10). Members overwhelmingly agreed that the Amendment would guarantee the right to join a union to negotiate for pay raises, workplace safety, and a voice at work (9.0 out of 10). They also said they think the Amendment will promote high-quality jobs (7.8 out of 10), make workplaces safer (7.4 out of 10), and increase worker job satisfaction (7.2 out of 10) in Illinois now that it has passed.
Researchers used results from the survey, membership data from the Illinois AFL-CIO and Illinois Education Association, historical voting data from the Illinois State Board of Elections, and Current Population Survey Voting and Registration Supplement data to estimate the effect of union members on the outcome of the Workers’ Rights Amendment. The results reveal that union members are 12% more likely to vote than the overall adult population in Illinois and that union members accounted for about 455,000 yes votes (21%) in favor of the Amendment. Downstate union members were responsible for nearly 157,000 yes votes, exceeding the final win margin of just under 141,000 votes.
“Union members were motivated to vote yes to guarantee workers’ rights and to promote job quality in Illinois,” said ILEPI Economist and study coauthor Frank Manzo IV. “This built robust union solidarity that was clearly a contributing factor to the Amendment’s success.”
Researchers noted that lawmakers in Pennsylvania and California introduced bills in 2023 to allow voters to decide whether to add Workers’ Rights Amendments to their respective state constitutions. Additionally, following the midterms, Michigan became the first state in 58 years to repeal a so-called “right-to-work” law.
“Illinois’ experience can be informative for other states, who may consider codifying collective bargaining rights into their constitutions or repealing anti-worker legislation,” concluded Manzo. “With public approval of labor unions remaining at six-decade highs, these efforts can be both bipartisan and driven by middle-class union voters.”
The Project for Middle Class Renewal (PMCR) at the University of Illinois investigates the working conditions of workers in today’s economy to elevate public discourse aimed at reducing poverty, create more stable forms of employment, and promote middle-class jobs.
The Illinois Economic Policy Institute (ILEPI) is a nonprofit organization which uses advanced statistics and the latest forecasting models to promote thoughtful economic growth for businesses and working families.
The Illinois Update 