NLRA and Unions

What Supervisors Need to Know

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Session ObjectivesYou will be able to:• Identify the basic provisions and prohibitions

of NLRA• Distinguish the rights of employers and

employees under the Act • Recognize the influence of unions in

the workplace • Understand how NLRA and union contracts

may affect your relations with employees

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Session Outline• Purpose, coverage, and scope of NLRA• Employer and employee rights under the

Act• Union organizing and collective bargaining

agreements• Concerted activity, strikes, disciplinary

interviews• Grievance procedure and other conflict

resolution methods

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The National Labor Relations Act • Purpose • Scope • Coverage

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The National Labor Relations Board • Enforcement of NLRA• Union elections • Unfair labor practice

rulings

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Employer Rights Under NLRA • Communications with employees • Control of union organizing activity • Striker replacement

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Employer Restrictions Under NLRA • Threatening

employees • Making promises to

induce employees not to join a union • Questioning

employees about union sympathies or activities• Discriminating against

workers for union activity

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Employer Restrictions Under NLRA (cont.)

• Discharging workers for filing unfair labor practice charges• Dominating or controlling a union• Refusing to bargain with a legally elected

union

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Employee Rights Under NLRA • Organizing activities • Joining a union and participating

in union activities • Filing grievances• Filing charges with NLRB• Union representation during disciplinary

proceedings

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Provisions of NLRA• Questions?

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Union Organizing •What unions can do •What employees can do•What employers can do

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Union Organizing (cont.)

•What you should do• Union elections

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Collective Bargaining Agreements • Agreements cover

wages, benefits, and working conditions • Permitted agreements • Prohibited agreements

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Concerted Activity • Unionized • Nonunionized

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Strikes • Economic • Unfair practices • Wildcat

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Labor-Management Reporting & Disclosure Act • Purpose • Provisions

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Labor-Management Committees • Does the committee make proposals or

demands that management may accept or reject?•Who controls committee activities and

decisions?

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Labor-Management Committees (cont.) • How are committee members chosen? •What does the committee do?

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Union Activity• Questions?

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Employee Rights During Disciplinary Interviews • Union representation • Rules for conducting a

disciplinary interview

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Grievance Procedure • What it is • How it works

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Dispute Reduction and Conflict Resolution • Arbitration •Mandatory arbitration

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Dispute Reduction and Conflict Resolution (cont.) • Peer review• Mediation

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Key Points to Remember • NLRA assures workers of the right to

organize and join a union without fear of reprisal • All employees, except supervisors and

managers, are protected by NLRA •Whether or not there is a union, NLRA

protects employees who act jointly to obtain changes in wages, hours, and working conditions