Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act

What are Section 7 Rights?

In 1935, Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) which was signed into law by  Franklin D. Roosevelt. The NLRA guarantees the basic rights of private sector employees to organize, engage in collective bargaining for better terms and conditions at work, and take collective action, including striking in some circumstances.

Section 7 of the NLRA provides as follows:

“Employees shall 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 or protection, and shall also have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities except to the extent that such right may be affected by an agreement requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment as authorized in section 158 (a)(3) of this title.”

Under Section 7 of the NLRA, you have the right to do the following:

• Attend meetings to discuss forming a union with your co-workers;
• Read and distribute union literature and discuss union matters (as long as you do this in non-work areas during non-work times, such as during breaks or lunch hours);
• Wear union buttons, t-shirts, stickers, hats on the job;
• Sign a card asking your employer to recognize and bargain with your union;
• Sign petitions or file grievances related to wages, hours, working conditions, and other job issues; and
• Ask other employees to support the union, to sign union cards or petitions, or to file grievance.

If you would like to know more about your Section 7 Rights, visit http://www.nlrb.gov/rights-we-protect/whats-law/employers/interfering-employee-rights-section-7-8a1.