California Bans Anti-Union Captive Audience Meetings

Last week, California became the latest state to prevent employers from forcing workers to attend anti-union “captive audience” meetings when Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 399, the California Worker Freedom from Employer Intimidation Act. This law also bans companies from forcing workers to attend meetings with political or religious themes. Eight states now have similar protections in place.

Companies and the anti-union consultants they hire frequently hold captive audience meetings to persuade workers not to join unions, particularly if the workers are actively engaged in an organizing campaign. Ending this practice and putting in place other reforms so that workers have a free and fair choice about whether or not to join a union has been a priority for CWA.

“Our locals and our District 9 legislative team worked with the California labor federation to pass this bill so that workers who want to organize to join our union can do so without having to hear anti-union propaganda from corporations and their high-paid consultants,” said CWA District 9 Vice President Frank Arce. "We’d like to thank Senator Wahab for authoring and Senator Durazo for co-authoring this legislation, and Governor Newsom for signing SB 399 into law.”