An organization that fights unions filed suit Monday against a California labor regulatory agency. The Freedom Foundation is suing the California Public Relations Board, apparently on behalf of the Shasta County Board of Supervisors and a county employee. The suit seeks to allow public employers to discourage the unionization of their workers by telling them they can opt out of union membership while still getting the benefits of collective bargaining. The Freedom Foundation is trying to overturn the law, claiming it violates the free speech rights of the board. The group is backed by Board Chair Kevin Crye, who insisted during Tuesday’s Supervisors Meeting that the suit is not intended to be anti-union. Some public speakers say the intention of the lawsuit is to allow coercion of employee’s choices by the county.
-Steve Gibson