Organizing

Please take the time to read about the positive difference a Union can make in your workplace and your life, the steps necessary to organize a Union, your rights under the law and ways to contact a Union organizer.

The Union Difference

Union workers’ median weekly earnings2
Nonunion workers’ median weekly earnings
$1004
$802
Young (ages 16-24) Union workers’ median weekly earnings
Young (ages 16-24) nonunion workers’ median weekly earnings
$600
$497
Union women’s median weekly earnings
Nonunion women’s median weekly earnings
$955
$723
African American Union workers’ median weekly earnings
African American nonunion workers’ weekly median earnings
$808
$646
Latino Union workers’ median weekly earnings
Latino nonunion workers’ median weekly earnings
$886
$608
Union workers participating in job-provided health insurance1
Nonunion workers participating in job-provided health insurance
85%
53%
Union workers participating in guaranteed (defined-benefits) pension plans
Nonunion workers participating in guaranteed (defined-benefits) pension plans
74%
15%
Union workers with paid sick leave
Nonunion workers with paid sick leave
86%
65%
Union workers have the right to a grievance procedure
Nonunion workers are At Will Employees
  1. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Compensation Survey: Employee Benefits in the United States, March 2016
  2. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Union Members 2016, released January 2017

Contact a Union Organizer


Steps to forming a union

Not represented by a union, but want to be?

When workers come together to form a Union, you get the right to negotiate with your employer over wages, benefits and working conditions.

Regardless of the industry you are in, the process for forming a Union is similar:

  1. Get together with your co-workers who may share a common interest in organizing a Union
  2. Talk to a union organizer to learn the next steps
  3. Talk to your co-workers to build support for the Union
  4. Show that support through an election or a card-check once you have a strong majority

Once a Union has been certified or recognized, the employer is required to bargain over your terms and conditions of employment with your Union representative.

Learn more about your rights to engage in union activity.

Contact a Union Organizer


Your Rights Under the Law

When you support forming a Union or engage in Union activities, federal and state law protects you from harassment by your employer.

This means you have the right to:

  • Join or help organize a Union without being harassed or punished by your employer.
  • Have meetings at lunchtimes or break time in non-work areas on company property without being harassed or punished by our employer.
  • Talk about, distribute Union materials, or ask other co-workers to join the Union on non-work time (including lunch and breaks) in non-work areas (break rooms, locker rooms, etc.).
  • Go to Union meetings and wear union buttons- in most cases- without interference from your boss or supervisors.
  • Hold demonstrations and rallies about the Union or about work problems.

This means your employer may not:

  • Fire, discipline, lay off, or cut your hours for supporting the Union.
  • Spy, or pretend to spy, on your Union activities.
  • Threaten or question you about the Union.
  • Deny you the right to participate in forming a Union.
  • Pressure you not to join a Union.

Organizing is your right. Secure your future with a Union contract.


Contact a Union Organizer

Get started now to learn how to improve your workplace and build worker power.

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