Teamsters-Backed Free Speech Legislation Becomes Law in Illinois

SB 3649 Bans Employer Intimidation, Infringement Upon Workers' Personal Beliefs

(SPRINGFIELD, Ill.) - Teamsters are celebrating after the union-backed SB 3649, Illinois Worker Freedom of Speech Act, passed into law today. The legislation bans mandatory attendance at captive audience meetings, which are employer-sponsored presentations filled with anti-union propaganda designed to discourage organizing efforts.

"This victory happened because of a grassroots lobbying campaign by and for rank-and-file union members in our state, and the Teamsters were the frontline of that battle," said Thomas W. Stiede, President of Teamsters Joint Council 25. "Illinois workers will no longer be forced to choose between jeopardizing their livelihoods or sitting through the toxic intimidation and outright lies that employers subject them to during captive audience meetings. Our success here demonstrates that even in the face of corporate interests who want to crush the middle class, working families can triumph by standing together in solidarity. We'd like to thank the elected officials in state government who stood with us in this fight."

SB 3649 was authored by State Senator Robert Peters (D - Chicago) and sponsored by Majority Leader Marcus C. Evans, Jr. in the Illinois House of Representatives. Nationwide, Teamsters are pushing for state legislatures to ban mandatory captive audience meetings. Connecticut, Oregon, Maine, Minnesota, and New York have already adopted legislation banning them.

Teamsters Joint Council 25 represents more than 100,000 workers at 25 local union affiliates in Chicago, Illinois, and Northwest Indiana. For more information, visit teamstersjc25.com.

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