ABA Family Legal Guide

Law and the Workplace

On the Job

Unions in the Workplace

What other types of restrictions does the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) place on employer conduct?

The NLRA prohibits an employer from interfering, restraining, or coercing employees in the exercise of their rights. Employers cannot threaten employees with discipline or other adverse actions because they have exercised their rights. For example, an employer who tells employees that they will lose their jobs or have their wages reduced if they vote for a union has violated the NLRA.

Neither can an employer promise employees benefits in order to get them to vote against a union, such as promising a wage increase if the employees reject the union.

As a general rule, employers cannot question employees about their union activities, ask them whether other employees support a union, or ask them what happened at a union meeting.