There are some common terms used in the labor movement used to describe key systems and procedures. Learning a new terminology can be overwhelming and confusing, so here’s a list of some common union language to get you started.
Authorization Card
An authorization card is a form you sign to indicate a desire to be represented by a union at your workplace. When at least 30% of eligible employees sign an authorization card, the NLRB will consider running an election.
Bargaining Unit
When you start to unionize, everyone who is able to vote in your union election will become part of a bargaining unit after the election. This group will be who’s responsible for negotiating and ratifying your union contract. The National Labor Relations Act and legal precedent define who can and can’t join a bargaining unit. It will not include supervisors and managers.
Collective Bargaining
Collective bargaining is the process where workers, through their union, negotiate with an employer over wages, benefits, hours, and working conditions. The terms agreed upon are written into a contract, which the union helps enforce on behalf of its members.
Grievance
Whenever your employer fails to meet the standards of your union contract, you may file a grievance against them. This makes sure you have a fair process to face workplace issues and that you will not have to face them alone. With the help of a representative or shop steward, you will be able to work through grievance procedures outlined in your union contract. Grievances serve to make sure you aren’t, for example, disciplined or fired unfairly.
National Labor Relations Act
The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) is the cornerstone U.S. labor law governing private-sector labor relations, designed to protect workers’ ability to organize and bargain collectively. Section 7 of the NLRA guarantees employees the right to form, join, or assist unions, bargain collectively through representatives of their choosing, and engage in concerted activities for mutual aid or protection.
National Labor Relations Board
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is the federal agency that enforces the National Labor Relations Act in the private sector. It conducts union representation elections and investigates and remedies unfair labor practices by employers or unions. Through these functions, the NLRB defines and applies U.S. labor law in practice.
Picketing
A labor picket is a public demonstration, usually outside a workplace, where workers or union supporters carry signs to protest an employer’s actions or to support collective bargaining demands. Pickets are used to inform the public, make demands of the employer, and show solidarity among workers. They are a traditional tool of labor advocacy protected under U.S. labor law.
Rank and File
The rank and file of a union refers to the workers in the union. Rank and file workers are the heart of the labor movement. They build success for their employers, and when they are organized, they build more power and success for themselves, too.
Ratification
Ratification is the last step in making a union contract, where workers vote to approve the contract itself.
Shop Steward
A shop steward is a union member in the workplace who serves as the main link between employees and union staff. Stewards receive training and education. They enforce the collective bargaining agreement, represent their coworkers in grievances or disciplinary meetings, and help ensure management complies with labor law and contract terms. Shop stewards also organize members, communicate union positions, and address day-to-day workplace issues. But rest assured, full-time union staff are routinely in workplaces and always a phone call away.
Tentative Agreement
During bargaining, when both your union bargaining committee and your employer settle on a section of your contract, you have reached a tentative agreement (TA) that allows you to move on to the next subject of bargaining. You work through this process until you have reached tentative agreements on every article and issue within your contract. Once the parties have negotiated a full tentative agreement, you and your co-workers can vote whether to ratify the contract. The choice is yours.
Union Contract
A union contract—also called a collective bargaining agreement (CBA)—is a legally binding contract between an employer and a union that sets the terms and conditions of employment. It benefits workers by standardizing pay, benefits, and workplace rules, and by giving employees enforceable rights and a formal process to resolve disputes. CBAs typically cover working conditions, compensation, hours and overtime, benefits such as pensions and health insurance, job classifications, seniority, discipline and discharge standards, grievance and arbitration procedures, and health and safety rules. Your union and your employer sign the agreement making it a legally binding contract.
Union Organizers
Union organizers are union staff who will guide you through the organizing process when you want to start a union at your workplace.
Union Representative
A union representative is an employee of the union who works with members in a bargaining unit to make sure they know everything about their contract and how to enforce it. Union reps have your back in disciplinary meetings and support you with grievances you may file against your employer.