Oregon Right to Work Laws

The Beaver State has always been home to hard work. From forestry to Silicon Forest and from running shoes to craft brews, Oregonian labor has brought some of the best and coolest products to the world. And while not everyone loves his or her boss, we all want to be treated fairly for the work that we do.

In some industries, employees turned to unions to advocate on their behalf when negotiating with management. Some states have had, and a few have recently been passing laws that affect the relationship between unions, employees, and employers. This is a brief overview of these “right-to-work” laws in Oregon.

Right to Work Laws

About half of the states have "right-to-work" laws either in their statutory code or in their state constitution. In simple terms, these laws prohibit employers, and unions, from requiring employees to be union members (or pay membership dues) in order to get and keep a job. As of now, Oregon has no right-to-work statute or constitutional provision.

Right to Work Statutes in Oregon

While some measures were aimed at a recent ballot in Oregon, there is no right-to-work law currently on the books and seemingly no plan to add one in the near future.

How Right to Work Laws Work

Right-to-work statutes regulate the relationship between employers, employees, and unions by preventing employers or unions from requiring union membership as a condition of employment or as a prerequisite to hiring. While some states have had such legislation in place for longer, most right-to-work laws are relatively new, with most business interests and chambers of commerce having lobbied heavily in favor of the laws.

Unions, on the other hand, have opposed the measures. Because the recent nature of the trend and the legal entanglements of right-to-work laws in some states, economic studies have yet to determine the statutes full impact on union membership, wages, and collective bargaining agreements.

Oregon Right to Work Laws: Related Resources

Employment and union regulations are some of the oldest and trickiest areas of the law. An while Oregon doesn’t currently have any right-to-work laws in place, that could change in the future. You can find more information and resources in FindLaw’s Employee Rights Center. You can also contact an Oregon labor attorney if you would like legal advice an employment or union matter.