KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
The National Labor Relations Board "is an independent Federal agency created in 1935 to enforce the National Labor Relations Act."
Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), employees have the legal right to form a union in the 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..."
You can and are legally entitled to the right to form a union in your workplace and an employer can not stop you from doing just that.
The following actions are ILLEGAL:
- Ask whether you or anyone else signed an Authorization Card
- Threaten to fire or punish employees for supporting the union
- Lay off, discharge, or discipline employees for union activity
- Grant pay increases or other benefits to keep the union out
- Ask employees if they support the union
- Promise benefits to employees who reject the union
- Announce that the company will not negotiate a contract
- Threaten to close shop, curtail operations, or reduce benefits
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