The NLRA protects the rights of employees to:
- Form or join a union
- Bargain collectively for a contract that sets wages, benefits, hours, and other working conditions
- Discuss wages, working conditions or union organizing with co-workers or a union
- Act with co-workers to improve working conditions by raising complaints with an employer or a government agency
- Strike and picket their employer, depending on the purpose or means of the action
- Choose not to join a union or engage in union activities
- Organize coworkers to decertify a union
If employees choose a union as their bargaining representative, the union and employer must bargain in good faith in a genuine effort to reach a binding agreement setting out terms and conditions of employment. The union is required to fairly represent employees in bargaining and enforcing the agreement.
Employers may not:
- Prohibit employees from discussing a union during non-work time, or from distributing union literature during non-work time in non-work areas, such as parking lots or break rooms
- Question employees about their union support or activities in a manner that discourages them from engaging in that activity
- Fire, demote, transfer, reduce hours or take other adverse action against employees who join or support a union or act with co-workers for mutual aid and protection, or who refuse to engage in such activity
- Threaten to close their workplace if employees form or join a union
- Promise or grant promotions, pay raises, or other benefits to discourage or encourage union support
- Prohibit employees from wearing union hats, buttons, t-shirts, and pins in the workplace except under special circumstances
- Spy on or videotape peaceful union activities and gatherings
Unions may not:
- Threaten employees with job loss if they don't support the union
- Refuse to process grievances of employees who criticize union officials or do not join the union
- Act in a discriminatory way when making job referrals from a hiring hall
- Cause or attempt to cause an employer to discriminate against employees because of their union-related activity
- Take other adverse action against employees who do not support the union
