Missouri AFL-CIO Endorses Amendment 6, Vowing to Protect Missourians’ Right to Initiative Petitions
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: jcardetti@tightline.org
September 14, 2026
JEFFERSON CITY, MO – Today, the Missouri AFL-CIO announced its enthusiastic support for Amendment 6, the citizen-led measure on the Nov. 3 ballot that would protect Missourians’ constitutional right to the initiative petition process and make it harder for politicians to overturn what voters have already approved.
“For years, politicians have tried to interfere with the will of the people and their constitutional right to initiative petitions,” said Jake Hummel, President of Missouri AFL-CIO. “Missouri AFL-CIO represents and advocates on behalf of over 220,000 hardworking Missourians in trade unions across the state, and we strongly believe in protecting the voices of workers. The absolute best way for working families in Missouri to protect their voice and their vote this November is voting yes on Amendment 6.”
Union members have played an active role in initiative petition campaigns in Missouri, including the 2018 referendum on so-called “right-to-work.” More recently, Missouri AFL-CIO members participated in organizing and signature-gathering efforts connected with Amendment 6 and rallied in St. Louis ahead of the Missouri Supreme Court’s consideration of whether the measure would appear on the November ballot. Over 200 union members participated in the Sept. 1 rally.
Hummel also pointed to organized labor’s successful use of the referendum process in 2018, when more than 2/3 of Missouri voters rejected right-to-work. “Without the initiative petition and referendum process, Missouri, against the wishes of an overwhelming majority of the electorate, would be a so-called "right-to-work state,” said Hummel. “Working people used their right to the citizens’ initiative petition and referendum to protect their pay by overwhelmingly voting no on Prop A. Amendment 6 makes sure that tool stays in our hands.”
Amendment 6 would establish additional restrictions on legislative changes to voter-approved initiatives and require ballot summaries to meet standards including fairness and impartiality. The certified ballot language states that legislative changes to voter-approved initiatives would generally require approval from 80 percent of both chambers before it would go back to the ballot.
The Missouri AFL-CIO’s announcement comes following the celebration of Labor Day last week, as the federation highlights organized labor’s long history of participating in Missouri elections, petition drives and ballot-measure campaigns.
Minutes after Amendment 6 was placed on the Missouri ballot, the Yes on Amendment 6 campaign released their first digital ad explaining the amendment, which can be found on the campaign’s website here. Last week, the Yes on Amendment 6 campaign announced endorsements from former U.S. Senator Jack Danforth and former Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander.
Missourians will vote on Amendment 6 on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026. The voter registration deadline is Oct. 7, and no-excuse early voting begins Oct. 20.
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