In a victory for state labor unions, Gov. Ned Lamont ignored a lobbying effort by business organizations and signed a bill Tuesday prohibiting employers from holding “captive audience” meetings to potentially discourage workers from unionizing.
Lamont signed the bill without fanfare Tuesday, making Connecticut only the second state after Oregon with a captive audience law currently on the books. Beginning July 1, the policy will prevent employers from requiring employees to remain at meetings where they impart political or religious views.
Passage of the bill has long been a priority for Connecticut’s labor unions who say workers attempting to organize often face mandatory meetings in which their employers try to dissuade them from unionizing.