Protect Your Rights as a Business Owner: Oppose Captive Audiences
Issue Overview: This measure is aimed at controlling the atmosphere for unions to organize a work force. Captive audience legislation bans mandatory employer-sponsored meetings when those meetings are held for the purpose of communicating the employers' opinions on political, religious or labor-organizing activities. This measure:
- is preempted by the National Labor Relations Act;
- could promote new civil litigation; and
- would prevent employers from communicating the importance of participating in the political process.
This proposal has been focused on nonprofit organizations that receive state funds in particular hospitals. It has been discussed as a general mandate for all businesses in Connecticut.
This proposal would prohibit any business from (A) interfering in labor organizing and education campaigns, (B) interfering with, or participating in, the activities of labor organizations, (C) discriminating in hiring based on past labor organizing activity or to encourage or discourage membership in a labor organization, (D) persuading employees to support or oppose labor organizing activity, (E) harassing employees engaged in labor organizing activity, (F) preparing and distributing materials that advocate for or against labor organizing, and (G) hiring or consulting legal counsel or other consultants to advise the nonprofit organization on how to assist, promote or deter labor organizing or how to impede a labor organization that represents the nonprofit organization's employees from fulfilling its representational responsibilities.
Further this law would go so far as to affect a small business owner who may discuss politics, religion or other issues with customers or vendors in a small business as violating worker's rights. Businesses would also be prohibited from discussing legislation which may affect the business and or the jobs it provides for employees with those employees.
NFIB Position: NFIB opposes this legislation and has noted that it would be in violation of the National Labor Relations Act, including House Bill 5030, An Act Concerning Captive Audience Meetings.
What to Say/Do: Call your legislator and tell them you oppose this legislation.
