Right to Join

Your Legal Rights

You have the legal right under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act to join or support a union and 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.
• Sign petitions or file grievances related to wages, hours, working conditions, and other job issues.
• Ask other employees to support the union, to sign union cards or petitions, or to file grievances.

Secret Ballot Elections

To establish a union in a workplace, a majority of employees must express support for the union.

In most situations, the employees prove majority support through a secret-ballot election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

“Good Faith” Bargaining

After the union’s election victory is officially certified by the National Labor Relations Board, your employer is legally required to negotiate in “good faith” with the union on a written contract covering wages, hours, and other working conditions.