Your Legal Rights

According to Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, you have a legal right to:

  • Join a union.
  • Talk to your co-workers about joining a union.
  • Pass out literature about joining a union (in non-work areas during non-work times).
  • Sign up your coworkers on petitions in non-work areas and during non-work times.
  • Join with your coworkers for the purpose of forming a union.
  • Join with your coworkers for the purpose of improving working conditions in your place of employment.

According to Section 8(a) of the National Labor Relations Act, your employer may NOT:

  • Interfere with, restrain or coerce you in such a way as to prevent you from exercising the rights listed above.
  • Form a union that is financed or controlled by an employer, instead of by you and your coworkers.
  • Discriminate against you or your coworkers in hiring and firing simply because you have chosen to join (or not to join) a union.
  • Fire you because you have exercised any of your rights under the National Labor Relations Act, including your right to file complaints and testify against your employer if you believe he or she has violated your rights.
  • Refuse to bargain collectively with you and your coworkers, if you choose to form a union.