Suit Challenges Oregon Law On Mandatory Workplace Meetings, But Not Religious Speech Provision

In Oregon, a business group, Associated Oregon Industries, had filed a federal lawsuit challenging Oregon's Senate Bill 519 that took effect January 1. The new law prohibits employers from firing or penalizing workers who refuse to attend employer-sponsored meetings discussing political issues or candidates, religious matters or union organizing. Plaintiffs object to the law's ban on their calling meetings to rebut union organizing. The complaint (full text) in Associated Oregon Industries v. Avakian, (D OR, filed 12/22/2009), claims that insofar as SB 519 applies to speech regarding whether employees should join a union, the law is pre-empted by the National Labor Relations Act. They also argue that SB 519's restrictions on speech opposing unionization violates their First Amendment free speech rights. Plaintiffs do not challenge the law's ban on forcing employees to listen to religious or other types of political speech. Yesterday's Newberg (OR) Graphic reported on the lawsuit.