Right to work: labor organizations.

Under existing law, it is against public policy for an employer and a prospective employee to enter into an agreement whereby either or both of them promise to join, or not to join, or remain a member of, a labor or an employer organization or to withdraw from an employment relation should one party or the other join or remain a member of a labor or employer organization. Existing law also grants state employees the right to form, join, and participate in the activities of employee organizations of their own choosing for the purpose of representation on matters of employer-employee relations and provides that once an employee organization is recognized as the exclusive representative of an appropriate bargaining unit, it may enter into an agreement with the state employer to provide for organizational security in the form of maintenance of membership or fair share fee deduction. Under existing law, it is a misdemeanor for an employer to coerce or compel a person to enter into an agreement to not join or to become a member of, a labor organization, as a condition of securing or continuing in employment. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2018, prohibit a person from requiring an employee, as a condition of obtaining or continuing employment, to contribute financial support to a labor organization or financially support a charity or other organization sponsored by, or at the behest of, a labor organization. This bill would permit an employee or potential employee to seek injunctive relief or monetary damages, or both, for violations or threatened violations of these provisions. This bill would exempt specified employers and employees covered by federal law and would exempt circumstances that would be preempted by federal law from these provisions. Because this bill would expand the definition of a crime, it would impose a state-mandated local program. The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.