Oregon Gag Rule Challenged

An Oregon law that gags business owners from discussing the costs and effects of unionization is being challenged in court.

SB 519, which takes effect in January, was pushed by the Oregon AFL-CIO violates the employer’s right to communicate with employees.

“The United States Supreme Court has recognized that employee free choice is insured by an open and robust debate about whether to join a union,” said Scott Oborne, the Portland managing partner with Jackson Lewis. “The end result of SB 519 is that employees can be left in the dark as to their rights and options as far as organizing.”

The new law will change the landscape of union organizing in Oregon and — if not overturned — could set a precedent for labor law nationwide, according to the law firm.