EMPLOYEE RIGHTS

The National Labor Relations Act extends rights to many private-sector employees, including the right to organize and to bargain collectively with their employer. Employees covered by the Act are protected from certain types of employer and union misconduct and have the right to attempt to form a union where none currently exists.

Examples of Your Rights As An Employee Under the NLRA Are:

• Forming, or attempting to form, a union among the employees of your employer.
  
  
• Joining a union whether the union is recognized by your employer or not.
  
  
• Assisting a union in organizing your fellow employees.
  
  
• Engaging in protected concerted activities. Generally, "protected concerted activity" is group activity that seeks to change wages or working conditions.
  
  
• Refusing to do any or all of these things. However, the union and employer, in a State where such agreements are permitted, may enter into a lawful union-security clause requiring employees to pay union dues and fees.

The NLRA forbids employers from interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of rights relating to organizing, forming, joining or assisting a labor organization for collective bargaining purposes, or engaging in protected concerted activities, or refraining from these activities. Similarly, unions may not restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of these rights.