How Unions Organize

A typical organizing campaign begins when disgruntled employees contact a union and suggest that a plant or group of employees might be interested in union membership.

The Union provides authorization cards. The Union supporters and professional union salespeople encourage employees to sign the cards. When 30% of the employees have signed a card, the Union can petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election — although in practice unions usually wait until 50% or more of employees have signed and indicated their support.

To encourage employees to sign cards, the Union may hold meetings, visit employees in their homes, solicit them outside and inside the work area, and use high-pressure sales techniques. This process usually occurs in secret, since many companies will vigorously oppose organizing efforts when they become aware that drives are underway. Unfortunately, unions often misrepresent the cards as "just to get more information," or "just to show your support" — whereas in fact they name the Union as bargaining representative.

If the NLRB certifies that a Union has collected cards representing more than 30% of eligible employees, an election will be scheduled — usually four to five weeks from the certification of the petition. Employees will vote by secret ballot in a federal government-supervised election; a majority of 50% + 1 of the employees who vote decides the result.

This process has some important safeguards. Employers are given the right to communicate with their own employees about unionization. Cards are certified by the NRLB to make sure they are valid. Elections are held in secret, and overseen by NLRB professionals.

Many of these important rights are lost when neutrality agreements are in force.

What "Neutrality" Means