Union workers back California ban on ‘captive audience’ meetings

Last week Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz proudly touted his state’s ban on “captive audience meetings” for union workers at a rally in Los Angeles. Now, California workers are urging state legislators to approve a similar ban before the Aug. 31 deadline to pass bills.

Union members are backing state Senate Bill 399, which would make it illegal for employers to discipline workers who refuse to participate in political or religious meetings, such as mandatory meetings to pressure staff to abandon unionizing efforts.

The bill is co-sponsored by the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO and California Teamsters Public Affairs Council and was authored by state Sen. Aisha Wahab, D-Fremont, and state Sen. Maria Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles.

“I joined my coworkers at the Republic Anaheim Material Recovery Facility to organize a union back in 2009. Once the company found out, they responded with mandatory captive audience meetings and hired union busters to intimidate us,” said Albert Navarro, a sanitation worker in a statement about the bill. “This was especially terrifying for vulnerable workers, such as undocumented or formerly incarcerated workers, who feared for their jobs and families.”

A coalition of business groups led by the California Chamber of Commerce oppose the bill, arguing that it’s “overbroad provisions effectively prohibit any discussion of political matters in the workplace” and said that it  likely violates the First Amendment rights because they constitute a “content-based restriction on speech.”

But the California Chamber of Commerce wrote in an opposition statement, “For example, under the bill, an employer could require its employees to listen to communications about its opinion on a local sports team, but not about pending legislation. …  Content-based restrictions on speech are presumptively unconstitutional.”

Opponents also argue the bill is unnecessary because California already has strong laws on the books  protecting workers rights to unionize.

The push to get SB 399 over the finish lines comes amidst a push to establish California — and by extension the Harris-Walz campaign — as one of the strongest supporters of workers rights.

Unionized labor and working class voters could play a pivotal role in determining the outcome of the November election.

Last week Walz appeared at a convention for American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in Downtown L.A. to talk about how he and Kamala will fight on behalf of workers.

“As governor, I signed one of the biggest packages of pro-worker policies in history into law in Minnesota,” said Walz. “We made it easier for workers to form unions, we strengthened workers protections, and yes, we banned those damn captive audience meetings for good in Minnesota.”

At the convention, Walz vowed that he is going to “continue to ban those meetings.” Minnesota is currently one of eight states in America to have enacted a ban on captive audience meetings.

Minnesota’s ban also encountered pushback from business groups who are suing the ban by arguing that it infringes on their First Amendment Rights.

If SB 399 passes, California will become the ninth state to ban captive audience meetings.

“This bill simply gives workers the freedom to leave a meeting that is not work-related and instead is focused on how the boss wants them to vote or what religion he wants them to practice,” said Lorena Gonzalez, president of the California Federation of Labor Unions, AFL-CIO. “Employers have tremendous power over worker’s lives and livelihoods and they should not be able to wield that power to pressure workers to adopt their political or religious views.”

In Sacramento, support for the bill has largely fallen along party lines. The bill recently cleared the Assembly Appropriations Committee with 11 Democrats in support and four Republicans opposed. It now awaits a final vote on the Assembly floor before it can proceed to the Governors desk.