Do you believe you deserve to be treated with respect and dignity in the workplace? Do you think you should have a voice about the decisions that impact your job, pay, and benefits? Do you want to make a positive impact in your community? If you answered “yes” to any or all of these questions, then you should keep reading.
Unions give workers the freedom to stand together and bargain for better workplaces, better pay, better treatment, and better benefits. Without unions, workers surrender their power.
In this article we’ll define what it means to unionize your workplace, what your rights are to unionize, and how to start the unionization process.
What does it mean to unionize your workplace?
Forming a union is the single most consequential step workers can take to guarantee a voice and power in their workplace. When a majority of workers come together to collectively bargain with their employer, they have unionized where they work.
What are your rights to unionize?
In the United States, workers have the right to unionize under the U.S. Constitution and federal law. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) of 1935 is a foundational statute of labor law in the United States. Section 7 of the NLRA guarantees you have the right to organize a union to negotiate with your employer over your terms and conditions of employment. Section 8 of the NLRA states that supervisors and managers cannot spy on you (or make it appear that they are doing so), question you, threaten you or bribe you regarding your union activity or the union activities of your co-workers.
How do you start unionizing your workplace?
The easiest way to start a union in your workplace is by being put in touch with a union organizer. Not only is this the best way to start a union, but it’s also the strategy most likely to succeed.
