Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) you have the legal right to form a union in your workplace. The NLRA says:
- Section 7: "Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representation of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining . . . ."
- Section 8(a): "It shall be an unfair labor practice for an employer . . . to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in section 7. . . ."
What You Can Do
Under Section 7 of the NLRA, you have the legal right to:- Attend meetings to discuss joining a union.
- Read, distribute, and discuss union literature (as long as you do this in non-work areas during non-work times, such as during breaks or lunch hours).
- Wear union buttons, t-shirts, stickers, hats, or other items on the job.
- Sign a card asking your employer to recognize and bargain with the union.
- Ask other employees to support the union, to sign union cards or petitions, or to file grievances.