Free community events in Middlebury, St. Johnsbury, Charlotte, Chester, and Montpelier will help voters understand the proposed constitutional amendment before November 3
by Alison Despathy
VERMONT — The Right for Vermont Foundation will hold a series of free public information sessions across the state this month to help Vermonters understand Proposal 3, the constitutional amendment on the November 3 ballot. The sessions will be hosted by Clara Morrison, Executive
Director of the Right for Vermont Foundation, and Alison Despathy, a member of the Foundation’s advisory board.
Proposal 3 would add a collective bargaining provision to Vermont’s Constitution, yet many voters have heard little about what it would actually do. A constitutional amendment is not an ordinary law: once adopted, it is difficult to change and would bind future legislatures for generations.
Right for Vermont Foundation has raised several concerns about the proposal:
• Workers are already protected. Federal law and existing Vermont statutes already guarantee the right to organize and bargain collectively.
• It could raise costs for taxpayers. Collective bargaining for public employees, including teachers and state workers, directly affects school budgets and state spending at a time when Vermonters are already struggling with affordability.
• It would lock in rules that future lawmakers cannot easily change. The amendment would bar any law that “interferes with, negates, or diminishes” the right to collectively bargain, which limits the Legislature’s ability to adjust policy as Vermont’s needs change.
• It would permanently prohibit worker choice protections. Under Proposal 3, Vermont could never adopt a law preventing union membership or fees from being required as a condition of employment.
“Vermonters are already stretched thin by high property taxes and the rising cost of living. Proposal 3 would make it harder for future lawmakers to control the costs that drive school budgets and state spending. Voters should understand that tradeoff before they cast their ballots,” said Clara Morrison, Executive Director of the Right for Vermont Foundation.
“Understanding the implications of Prop 3 is essential for every Vermont voter as we prepare to cast our ballots. Vermonters’ freedom to organize is already protected by the First Amendment and by state and federal law,” said Alison Despathy, Advisory Board Member of the Right for Vermont Foundation. “At its core, Prop 3 puts the interests of unions ahead of the individual rights of the employees they are meant to serve. By empowering unions at all costs, it places employees, taxpayers, small businesses, and our elected officials at risk. Please join us to learn more about Prop 3 before you vote.”
Information Session Schedule
• Monday, October 12, 6:30–8:00 PM: Ilsley Public Library, Community Room, Middlebury
• Tuesday, October 13, 5:30–7:00 PM: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum, St. Johnsbury • Monday, October 19, 6:30–7:30 PM: Charlotte Town Hall, Charlotte • Tuesday, October 20, 6:00–7:30 PM: Fullerton Inn and Restaurant, Chester • Tuesday, October 27, 5:00–6:30 PM: Kellogg-Hubbard Library, Montpelier
All sessions are free and open to the public. Each session will include a presentation followed by time for questions.
The Right for Vermont Foundation is a nonpartisan think tank dedicated to advancing individual liberty and fiscally responsible governance in Vermont by empowering citizens and legislators with independent research and practical policy solutions.