WNYLaborToday.com Editor’s Note: The following Labor Perspective: Why We Must Say No to the NYS Constitutional Convention, was authored by Richard Lipsitz (Pictured Below/WNYLaborToday.com File Photo) - who serves as President of the Western New York AFL-CIO Area Labor Federation (WNYALF).  The Regional AFL-CIO Labor Organization oversees five individual Labor Councils in Buffalo, Niagara-Orleans, Dunkirk, Jamestown and Cattaraugus-Allegany that combine to represent just under 150,000 Unionized Workers across Western New York.

This Fall, New Yorkers will be asked to vote on the convening of a Constitutional Convention.

A referendum asking for a yes or no on this issue will appear on the November ballot.

Our Area Labor Federation and many of our allied groups are strongly opposed to the establishment of such a convention.

Our objections are as follows:

A Constitutional Convention, while being portrayed as an overdue exercise in Democracy, would be dominated and controlled by well-funded lobbyists.

Such a gathering opens the entire NYS Constitution to dramatic change.

In many ways the New York State Constitution - as presently written - is a model.

In it are many protections for Workers.  Public Worker Pensions, Prevailing Wage Rate in construction work, Collective Bargaining guarantees, and benefits for Workers who are injured on the job are all guaranteed by the New York State Constitution.  They cannot be legislated away, without changing the constitution.

Further, the convention would be taken over by the very monied interests that seek to destroy the rights of the Working People.  Lobbyists and their friends in political circles will be in the driver’s seat should this event come to pass.

Finally, as stipulated on the ballot this Fall, the convention would be paid for with taxpayer dollars and most amazingly could be seated for months - or even years.

We are against such an exercise in “Democracy,” but we are for a wider participation in society by Working People. 

We are against the restriction of Working Class Rights, but we are for a robust expansion of guarantees which advance the living standards and working conditions of ordinary people.

We are not a “special interest” as if, we are just another group of lobbyists, but we are in favor of a vigorous defense of all we have achieved.

Don’t be fooled by the seductive voices that promise an expansion of Democracy through the taking away of your rights.

Vote NO to a New York State Constitutional Convention this Fall!

For More On This Labor News Topic, Read WNYLaborToday.com’s May 24th Labor News Report, Headlined: Could The Koch Brothers ‘Get Their Way’ And Make New York A Right-To-Work (For Less) State? They Could - If - A Constitutional Convention Is Held