With ‘freedom’ bill:
Workplaces in Connecticut will fall
silent on workplace issues

(May 11, 2007) Of all the debates at the State Capitol this year, many of the most important are on topics affecting working people in Connecticut — such as workers’ compensation, taxes, health care, energy, economic development, noncompete agreements, apprenticeships, and even employee meetings.

None of these issues, however, will be able to be discussed by employers and employees in regular staff meetings if legislators approve an ironically titled “Freedom in the Workplace” bill.

HB-7326 restricts Connecticut employers from talking about “political or religious” matters — which initially sounds hard to disagree with. But the bill so broadly defines the world “political” that it includes issues that aren’t really political, but are important to employees and their jobs.

Topics that will be banned at such meetings include any legislative or government developments that could affect jobs and the workplace, or anything that could be collectively bargained for — such as health care and other employee benefits.

So, even though their elected state legislators will be debating issues that will either directly or indirectly affect their jobs, families and employers, workers in the Connecticut workplace might be left in the dark by the legislature.

HB-7326 is part of a national campaign by organized labor to prevent open communication between employers and employees. The aim is for employees to have little choice other than to turn to the unions for vital information affecting the workplace and community at large.

As a practical way of communicating with their workers so all of them can hear the same message at the same time, many employers frequently hold mandatory staff meetings on key workplace topics. Employers are very concerned about this bill.

“Face-to-face communication with our associates is important to us,” wrote a human resources director of a CBIA-member company to local legislators. “We value our people, and it is important for us to give them an opportunity to dialogue … about business issues, including changes to our benefit plans, charitable campaigns … and the initiatives we have established to improve our business.”

“This legislation will limit information to employees vital to any decision-making process that may have an impact on their financial future,” said one president of a CBIA-member company to his legislators.

While the information age has brought a whole new wave of instant communications tools — such as e-mail, Web sites, blogs and other electronic means — employers still say the most effective way to reach their employees is in face-to-face meetings, according to Edelman, national employee communications consultants .

“Great employers communicate openly and often with their employees,” says the Society for Human Resource Management.

Overall, experts believe that in the 21st century workplace and competitive environment, more, not less, communication is needed in the workplace. “There’s an urgent need to reconnect with employees and build a meaningful change and communication process that helps employees adapt and make better decisions,” said Steve Kerstein, managing director for Towers Perrin’s retirement practice.

CBIA urges lawmakers to reject HB-7326 as a bill that will only make it harder for employers to inform their employees. And in the process, the bill will harm Connecticut’s business environment and the working people of the state.

For more information, contact CBIA’s Kia Floyd at 860-244-1931 or floydk@cbia.com.

CBIA Action Center

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