A union is a group of workers who organize to gain a voice in their workplace and, through their strength, impact wages, work hours, employee benefits, workplace health and safety and other work-related concerns.The National Labor Relations Act was enacted in 1935 to protect the rights of workers in the United States.If you work in a right to work state, you can't be forced to join or support a labor union.
Step 1: Know your rights when it comes to unions.
Federal and state law in the U.S. protects the right to form a union, to express views on unions, and to talk to coworkers about an interest in forming a Union.If you are a supervisor or other employee, you may be excluded from coverage of the law.
Step 2: The American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations is an umbrella organization.
The unions in the United States are brought together by the umbrella organization.It is a federation of unions that can help your union.Local and state councils are where unions come together to work on common goals.
Step 3: Join Working America.
You can join Working America if forming a union is not an option for you.People who don't have a union at work but still want to be involved in the movement can join Working America.
Step 4: Discuss your ideas with your coworkers.
If you want to organize a union, you need to speak to your colleagues at work to find out if they are interested.
Step 5: Introduce your idea quietly.
In the absence of a supervisor or other member of management, introduce the idea of forming a union to your coworkers discreetly.Although you have a right to form a union, many employers don't like the idea and may try to prevent you from doing so.
Step 6: There is a private meeting.
If enough of your coworkers are interested, you can hold a private meeting with them.Discuss workplace issues at this meeting.For future reference, keep a record of the issues that were discussed.
Step 7: An organizing committee should be formed.
You should begin building an organizing committee after you have finished preliminary discussions with your colleagues.Identifying leaders who will represent all major departments and all shifts at your workplace is part of the process.
Step 8: The train committee has members.
Training will be required for members of the organization committee to educate themselves about the union and the anti-union campaign from the management that will likely follow.Education on workers' rights will be required by organizing committee members.
Step 9: Information about the workplace is important.
You will need to gather important information about your workplace at this point.The structure of the workplace includes departments, areas of work, shifts and jobs.The employee information includes name, address, phone, shift, and department for each worker.Other locations, parent company, product, customers, union history are some of the employer information.
Step 10: Prepare for an election by adopting an issues program.
An issues program is a program of union demands and needs to be adopted leading up to an election.Improvements that you are trying to achieve at your workplace are the union demands.The issues program can be brought to the attention of your coworkers.
Step 11: The campaign should be held with a card.
Ask your coworkers to join the union.Your goal is to get as many of your coworkers as possible to sign a membership card.The cards are needed to hold a union election.
Step 12: Hold an election.
The signatures on the union membership cards are used to get the labor board to hold a union election.If your employer declines to recognize the union based on the results of a card check, you will need to participate in an election.To hold an election, you will need to send a petition to the National Labor Relations Board.It will take several weeks for the election to be scheduled.Once the election is held and the union wins, your employer must recognize and bargain with the unions.
Step 13: Negotiating a contract.
Once your union is formed and the goal you set out to achieve has been accomplished, your next goal should be to negotiate a union contract with your employer.The employer and the union will sign this union contract.Wages, dispute resolution, and other employment related matters will be covered in this document.To negotiate a contract requires the union to mobilize in support of the demands and the employer to meet them.
Step 14: Know the laws regarding the right to work.
There is a right to work law that protects the rights of employees not to be coerced into joining a union.You don't want to be in violation of the law if you live in a right to work state, so be aware of these laws.
Step 15: Understand the laws regarding the right to strike.
The right to strike is related to the idea of forming a union.Although you have a right to strike as an employee, not all strikes are legal.The National Labor Relations Act protects strikes that are in protest of an unfair labor practice.Collective bargaining agreements that unions enter into with employers have a "no-strike" clause.It is illegal to violate a no-strike clause.
Step 16: During a strike, be aware of the employer's rights.
Although the National Labor Relations Act protects the right to strike, your employer can still hire replacement workers.If there is a reason for the strike, you have the right to return to work.If the strike was to protest an unfair labor practice, you can't be fired.If the strike ends and the replacement employees are let go, you have a right to be reinstated.You will have fewer rights if your strike was for economic reasons.You can be replaced if you are fired in that scenario.If the employer has hired permanent replacements while you were on strike, you will not be entitled to immediate reinstatement but will have a right to be reinstated when a job opening arises.