Under a federal law called the National Labor Relations Act, workers have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection. Section 7 of the NLRA includes the right to the distribution of union literature, discuss the union with coworkers, and to solicit coworkers to sign union authorization cards. You may also wear union shirts, buttons, stickers, or other insignias. Supervisors and managers cannot spy, coercively question, threaten, or bribe you regarding your or your co-worker’s union activities. You cannot be fired, disciplined, demoted, or penalized in any way for participation in these union activities.

The time scheduled for work is when your employer may enact and enforce non-discriminatory rules limiting your solicitation and distribution of union information or materials. Your employer cannot however prohibit you from soliciting, distributing, or talking about the union during non-work time in non-work areas such as break areas, lunchrooms, or parking lots. One exception is that your employer cannot prohibit you from talking about the union during working hours if it permits you to talk about other non-work related subjects.