NLRA

Definition

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) is a U.S. federal law that governs private sector labor-management relations, including the right of private sector employees to join together, with or without a union, to improve their wages and working conditions. It establishes the legal framework for collective bargaining and protects the rights of private sector employees to organize, join unions, and engage in collective activities.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The NLRA applies to private sector employees, excluding those in the railway, airline, and public sectors, which are covered by separate labor laws.
2. The NLRA protects the right of employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, bargain collectively, and strike or engage in other concerted activities for mutual aid or protection.
3. Employers are prohibited from interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of their NLRA rights, known as unfair labor practices.
4. The NLRB is responsible for investigating and remedying unfair labor practices, as well as overseeing the process of union elections and certification.
5. The NLRA requires employers to bargain in good faith with the representative chosen by a majority of employees in an appropriate bargaining unit.

Review Questions

• Explain how the NLRA supports the right of private sector employees to organize and engage in collective bargaining.
  • The NLRA establishes the legal framework that protects the rights of private sector employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, and to bargain collectively with their employers over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. It prohibits employers from interfering with, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of these rights, known as unfair labor practices. The NLRB is responsible for enforcing the NLRA and ensuring that employees' rights to organize and bargain collectively are protected.
• Analyze how the NLRA's prohibition on unfair labor practices helps to maintain a fair and equitable labor-management relationship.
  • The NLRA's prohibition on unfair labor practices, such as discrimination, retaliation, or refusal to bargain in good faith, helps to maintain a fair and equitable labor-management relationship. By preventing employers from interfering with or coercing employees in the exercise of their rights, the NLRA ensures that workers can freely choose whether to organize and engage in collective bargaining without fear of reprisal. This promotes constructive labor-management cooperation and helps to address power imbalances that may exist between employers and individual employees.
• Evaluate the role of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in enforcing the NLRA and protecting employee rights.
  • The NLRB plays a crucial role in enforcing the NLRA and protecting employee rights. As the federal agency responsible for investigating and remedying unfair labor practices, the NLRB investigates charges of NLRA violations and can issue orders to cease and desist from unlawful conduct, reinstate workers who have been unlawfully fired, and require employers to bargain with the union chosen by employees. The NLRB also oversees the process of union elections and certification, ensuring that employees' right to choose whether to be represented by a union is protected. By actively enforcing the NLRA and safeguarding employee rights, the NLRB helps to maintain a balance in labor-management relations and promote constructive workplace cooperation.

Related terms

Collective Bargaining: The process of negotiation between an employer and a group of employees (usually a labor union) to determine the conditions of employment, such as wages, hours, benefits, and workplace rules.

Unfair Labor Practices: Actions taken by employers or unions that interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights under the NLRA, such as discrimination, retaliation, or refusal to bargain in good faith.

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB): The federal agency responsible for enforcing the NLRA, including investigating and adjudicating charges of unfair labor practices and overseeing union elections.