Virginia Elections 2016: Two Amendments on Ballots Statewide

RICHMOND, VA — Labor unions in Virginia likely will be watching November's election results with heightened concern inasmuch that one of two ballot amendments will be a question of whether the state's long-standing right-to-work law should become a part of Virginia's constitution.

The other proposed constitutional amendment is regarding families of police or other emergency responders killed in the line of duty, and whether they should be exempt from local taxation on their property.

The far more controversial amendment, though, concerns the right-to-work law, in place since 1947 and one that says union participation is not a condition of employment in Virginia.

It's sponsored by two Republicans, Mark Obenshain of Harrisonburg in the Senate and Richard Bell of Staunton in the House

Bell told the Richmond Times-Dispatch the amendment is geared toward protecting the state's business interests and, in praising the law, said, "we are protecting it from the whims of the legislature and thus ensuring it can remain in place for generations to come."

Not surprisingly, Virginia's AFL-CIO is against the amendment.

Several months ago, ironically, Wisconsin's right-to-work law, championed by Republican Gov. Scott Walker as he was mounting his ill-fated run for president, was struck down by a circuit court judge as violating the state constitution.

Details about the amendments are provided by the Virginia Department of Elections.

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