Union Laws
The Labor Law was primarily designed to equalize the bargaining power between employers and employees. In general, the Labor Law deals with the relationships between unions and employers.
What is a Labor Union?
A labor union is an organization of workers established to protect their interests and improve conditions of employment. These workers are usually wage earners and of the same jobs or trade.
National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
The National Labor Relations Act established the policies that protect the rights of employees to organize unions. It also identifies employer and union activities that are permitted and prohibited. The NLRA established the following significant goals: allowed workers to have elections to decide if they want to be represented; protected employees from discrimination; outlined the basic rights for workers; and formed the NLRB as an administrative agency to impose the law.
The National Labor Relations Board
Prior to the National Labor Relations Act, the employers was not required by law to recognize a union or to bargain. The act established the National Labor Relations Board as the administrative agency to implement the law. The NLRB is the agency that hears disputes between employers and unions; determines what labor union should represent group employees/workers; has a General Counsel that investigates employer’s or union’s violations of the act; and establishes guidelines and regulations for collective bargaining
Employer Activities
The NLRA prohibits employers from threatening disciplinary action to any worker for taking part in union activities, assuring salary, wages, and benefit improvements prior to employees’ election for a union, and spying on any union activities.
Union Activities
The NLRA regulates the union’s activities that can be used to convince the employer to give them certain collective employment conditions. These union activities may include picketing, strikes, and lock-outs. The NLRA also prohibits unions from threatening employees, use acts of force or preventing workers from entering the workplace.
Union Membership Benefits
Many union employees have work-related health coverage compared to non-union employees. Additionally, union members have advantage more than non-union employees in securing pensions. With collective bargaining agreements, grievance and arbitration procedures, unions can help keep their workers from unfair dismissal.
Collective Bargaining
The NLRA requires an obligation that the employer and union engage in good faith collective bargaining; however, an employer is not required to agree to any particular terms. A collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a negotiatied agreement between employers and unions to resolve the conditions of employment. Once a CBA is signed, the agreement is final and binding the employer to certain conditions of employment.