Oregon Measure Nos. 316-317, Regulation of Labor Disputes Initiative (1938)

Oregon Measure Nos. 316-317
Election date November 8, 1938
Topic Collective bargaining and Labor disputes and strikes
Status Approved
Type Initiated state statute	Origin Citizens

Oregon Measure Nos. 316-317 was on the ballot as an initiated state statute in Oregon on November 8, 1938. It was approved.

A "yes" vote supported this ballot initiative to: define a labor dispute as only a direct controversy between an employer and employees concerning wages, hours, or working conditions; prohibit picketing an employer’s property or boycotting an employer’s business unless a defined labor dispute existed; forbid actions that obstructed or prevented lawful commerce or the production, harvesting, processing, or marketing of goods, including agricultural products; authorize courts to issue restraining orders or injunctions against prohibited picketing or boycotts; and restrict fees, dues, fines, and similar charges by collective bargaining organizations.

A "no" vote opposed this ballot initiative to define labor disputes more narrowly, restrict when picketing or boycotts could occur, limit certain union fees and dues, and authorize courts to issue injunctions against such activities.

Election results

Oregon Measure Nos. 316-317
Result		Votes	Percentage
Yes		197,771	57.12%
No		148,460	42.88%

Results are officially certified.

Source

Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Measure Nos. 316-317 was as follows:

“

BILL REGULATING PICKETING AND BOYCOTTING BY LABOR GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS - Purpose: Defining "labor dispute" as only an actual controversy between employer and employes directly concerning wages, hours or working conditions involved therein, and not including jurisdictional controversy between, labor organizations, nor employer's refusal to deal with either such organizations; forbids obstructing or preventing lawful commerce in or manufacturing, harvesting, processing, marketing agricultural or other products; forbids picketing employer's property or boycotting employer's business unless actual labor dispute, so defined, exists; authorizes courts' restraining and enjoining such picketing or boycotting; restricts fees, dues, fines, etc., of collective bargaining organizations to legitimate requirements; forbids preventing, hindering, molesting persons seeking or securing any employment. Vote YES or NO

”

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.

Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Oregon

The number of signatures required for an initiated state statute was equal to 8% of the total votes cast in the last Supreme Court justice election.

See also

1938 Measures

• 1938 Measures
• Collective bargaining on the ballot
• Labor disputes and strikes on the ballot
• 1938 legislative sessions

Oregon

• Oregon ballot measures
• Oregon ballot measure laws

News and analysis

• Ballot measure lawsuits
• Ballot measure readability
• Ballot measure polls

External links

• Oregon Voter Guide (1938)