- Connecticut is second state to ban “captive audience” meetings
- New lawsuit says ban violates employers’ free speech rights
- Comes as U.S. labor agency being urged to outlaw the meetings
(Reuters) – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other business groups filed a lawsuit on Tuesday claiming a Connecticut law barring employers from holding mandatory meetings about unionizing is unconstitutional and should be struck down.
The groups in a complaint filed in Connecticut federal court said the law adopted earlier this year violates businesses’ free speech rights by barring them from disseminating truthful information and expressing opinions about important matters.
The state law bars employers from disciplining workers who refuse to attend workplace meetings “concerning religious or political matters,” including the decision to join a union.
So-called “captive audience meetings,” in which employers discuss the effects of unionizing, are routine…
