Jake Thomas
jthomas@portlandobserver.com

A coalition of business groups has filed a lawsuit aimed at overturning a law passed last legislative session that bars employers from punishing workers who refuse to attend meetings that push political or religious messages.

The law, which was passed last summer before the legislature adjourned, was prompted by concerns from labor groups who claimed that workers trying to unionize were all too often bombarded by messages from their employer telling them of the downsides of banding together.

Most notably, Wal-Mart stores across the country held meetings with their employees to tell them of the dangers of a Democratic Congress and White House, which they said would open the floodgate to pro-union legislation that would hurt the business.

This prompted the Oregon Legislature, which is overwhelming controlled by Democrats, to pass a bill that made it illegal for employers to punish workers who fail to attend such meetings.

But business groups who opposed the law in the legislature are now turning to the courts. The Associated Oregon Industries and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have filed a suit to stop the law.

“This law tramples employers’ speech rights and gives organized labor an unprecedented advantage in unionizing campaigns,” said Robin Conrad, executive vice president of the National Chamber Litigation Center, the chamber’s public policy law firm, in a statement.

Both groups are arguing that the bill is unfair to employers, who can’t present their side to counterbalance that of union organizers. The groups also contend that it unconstitutionally abridges employers’ freedom of speech, and preempts federal laws that protect such speech.

“Some employers seem to be threatened by the idea that they will no longer be able to fire or punish workers who don’t want to sit down and listen to their opinions on non-work-related topics,” said Tom Chamberlain, Oregon AFL-CIO President, in a press release. “But for too may years Oregonians have felt threatened by their bosses telling them how to vote or what to believe. SB 519 is necessary, overwhelmingly supported by Oregonians, and legal.”

Here is the Jeff Mapes’ coverage on the fight to get the law passed.