In the workplace, employers have the right to express their views on all subjects, including religion, politics and unions. But employees should never be forced to listen or adopt their employer’s beliefs.

In 2008, Wal-Mart sparked a firestorm of criticism when it held mandatory meetings to "warn" employees of dire consequences if they voted for Barack Obama and Democrats in the 2008 elections. The public and the press were outraged. An employer’s position of power and influence makes it just plain wrong for them to force their opinions on private matters of individual conscience.

Current law allows employers to force workers to participate in communication including mandatory meetings where the employer can press their own views on religion, politics and unions. Employers routinely use mandatory communication to intimidate and coerce managers and supervisors to discourage unionization or to press particular views, as in the case of Wal-Mart. Workers can be (and are) fired or disciplined for refusing to participate in such communication.

LABOR’S POSITION -- Employees should be able to choose whether or not to participate in employer communication unrelated to job performance when that communication is about private matters of individual conscience, without threat to their employment status.

In the 2009 Legislative Session, the Washington State Labor Council is supporting a bill that protects an employee’s right to listen. The Worker Privacy Act protects workers from retaliation if they report or challenge mandatory communication from their employer and the act allows civil court remedies when employers violate these rules of engagement.

Of course, employers have every right to impose mandatory communications when it comes to matters of job performance, training and lawfully required employee action such as issues relating to health, safety and discrimination. Employers who are faith-based should also be able to speak to employees about religious matters.

Under the Worker Privacy Act, employers will still be allowed to express their views on any topic they choose, they just can’t force workers to listen to these views. With the passage of this act, workers will be allowed to express their First Amendment right not to listen to an employer’s view on private matters of individual conscience.

The Worker Privacy Act is about respect for an employee’s basic rights. No employee should be expected to drop their civil rights at the door when he or she enters the workplace. There are certain private matters of individual conscience that demand respect in the workplace including who someone chooses to vote for, what political party they belong to, what charity they wish to contribute to, what faith to practice and whether or not they want to vote for unionization of the workplace. Individuals have the right to listen or not to listen to the views of others on these matters at home; this fundamental privacy right also needs protection in the workplace.