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Edited by Anonymous6862, Maluniu, Samantha, Maniac and 4 others

A labor union is a collective of workers in a particular industry who organize in order to leverage their bargaining power with their employers. Labor unions are powerful tools that workers can use to combat exploitation by employers; through unions, workers bargain collectively to ensure that their pay, benefits and working conditions are reasonable. Although the process can prove to be challenging, if you follow a few important steps you can learn how to create a union at work.

Edit Steps

  1. 1
    Decide if you want to create a new union, or if joining an existing union is a palatable alternative. Starting a union can be a lot of work, and it may be a while before the union's bargaining clout is established. If there is an existing union in your industry that fits your needs, consider joining.
  2. 2
    Rally support for your new union. Talk to your co-workers and other workers in your industry. Find out what their grievances are, and ask them to consider organizing in order to redress those grievances. Make sure to take advantage of technology � the advent of social media has made organizing and mass communication a lot easier.
  3. 3
    Consider hiring a union organizer. Union organizers specialize in helping workers to organize where unionization has been weak. You can get in touch with a union organizer through local or national labor federations. In the United States, the largest federation is the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
  4. 4
    Gather signatures on authorization cards. To document the support for the new union, get as many workers as possible to sign a card indicating their desire to join the union. In the U.S., a majority of the employees in a workplace must sign authorization cards before the union can be formed.
  5. 5
    Register your union with your country's regional labor board. In the U.S., labor unions are represented under the National Labor Relations Board, or NLRB. There will be paperwork required to show intent to form a union, and the authorization cards must be submitted.
  6. 6
    Hold an election. After the local labor board has approved your application, they will preside over a union election. All the employees in a given workplace will vote on whether or not to form a union. Again, a majority of workers must support the union in order for it to be formed.
  7. 7
    Certify your union with the labor board. If the election was successful, the labor board will issue a certification for your labor union. Once the certification has been issued, the union can begin bargaining on behalf of its members and calling strikes when necessary.
  8. 8
    Keep the union healthy. Once a labor union is in place, make sure to continuously be on the lookout for new members and good leadership. Union members certainly want to feel that their dues are being put to good use. Maintain constant communication between union members and union leaders. Consider disseminating information through a website or newsletter.

Edit Tips

  • Laws and regulations regarding labor unions will differ from country to country. Do research and contact your country's labor board to learn more.

Edit Things You'll Need

  • Authorization cards

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Edit Sources and Citations

Article Info

Categories: Work World

Recent edits by: SilverMoon5, 4Hchick, Badazz emo chic

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