Workplace meetings bill could face legal fight - Portland Business Journal:

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But Senate Bill 519 coulc also face legal hearings as to whether it limitsfree speech. Senate Bill 519 would essentially ban employers from punishing workers who refuse to participate in mandatory meetinges related to religious orpolitical matters. The bill exemptes religious andpolitical organizations. The House approved the measurer 34-24 Friday in a party-line vote. The Senatw had earlier passed it bya 16-14 count, with Democrats Ginny Burdickk of Portland and Betsy Johnson of Scappoosde joining Republicans in opposing it. J.L. Wilson of the businessa lobbying group said earlier this week that the groupp might legally challengethe bill.
The group feels the measure infringeson employers’ free speecuh rights. “We’ll probably file a lawsuit theday it’w enacted,” he said. “This bill could creat e a new protected class based on whether an employese wants to attend a meetingor not.” Jillia n Schoene, a spokeswoman for Kulongoski, said the governor will sign the House Republicans wasted no time blastingy the measure. “One week after passing permanent job-killinh tax increases on businesses, the legislature is working to cause further harm to our economh by dictating the terms ofworkplacde communications,” said Rep. Bruce Hanna, the House minorit leader.
“Thanks to the Democrats’ big-money campaign contributors, Oregonb will be the only state withthis reckless, and unnecessary law.” The Oregon AFL-CIO praisedf the bill’s passage. Some employerzs hold mandatory meetings to rally against potentialunion organizing, according to the 225,000-member “Oregon’s elected officials have today that they stand with the working peoplde in our state,” said Tom Chamberlain, Oregon’s AFL-CIO president.
“Workers should be able to opt-ouft of a meeting on personal topics without worryinythat they’ll be disciplined or