Why
Organize?
Interested in getting a real
voice in your workplace? 
If you are, then CWA, the
Communications Workers of America, can help you and your
co-workers build the majority support that you will need to
organize your union.
Getting union representation is
the best way to gain the working conditions that you and your
co-workers deserve. With a union, you have the legal right to
bargain over your pay, benefits, employment security, health and
safety, and retirement, etc. A union also gives you the ability
to negotiate over company policies that affect promotions, job
bidding, layoffs, and many other aspects of your job.
 Having
a union and the right to bargain collectively with your employer
is not some old-fashioned idea that’s time has come and gone.
Top executives of every major corporation negotiate their own
compensation, retirement and severance packages with the
companies for which they work.
Through CWA, you and your co-workers will have the same ability
to improve your working conditions.
Who we are
CWA represents more than 700,000 men and women in both the
private and public sectors of the economy – in
telecommunications and information technology; media and
publishing; health care, higher education, law enforcement and
public service; in the airlines and in manufacturing. CWA
members are covered by over 2,000 collective bargaining
agreements.
We’ll help you create your
organization
Experience tells us that it’s best when workers organize
themselves if they are to create a viable union that truly
represents their wishes. CWA will provide you and your
co-workers with the support and guidance that 
you will need to build your own effective workplace
organization. Talk with your co-workers and identify your key
workplace issues. Then call CWA. We will set up a meeting with
you and your co-workers.
Contact us
Send us an e-mail, and a CWA organizer will contact you. Click
Here to Contact Us.
How
to Organize Where You Work
 Interested
in organizing a union in your workplace? A union is simply a
majority of employees who join together to better their work
lives.
Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) you have the legal
right to form a union in your workplace. The NLRA says:
- Section 7: "Employees
shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or
assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through
representation of their own choosing, and to engage in other
concerted activities for the purpose of collective
bargaining . . . ."
- Section 8(a): "It shall
be an unfair labor practice for an employer . . . to
interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the
exercise of the rights guaranteed in section 7. . . ."
Getting Started
To get a union started, the first thing you need to do is talk
to your co-workers. Do they share the same concerns you have?
Or, do they have other issues? Is there a common theme to these
concerns such as lack of respect and dignity; lack of a voice in
the workplace; unfair treatment; and/or wages and benefits lower
than other people working in the same industry?
Workers Create Their Own Organization
Our experience tells us that it's best when workers organize
themselves if they are to create a viable organization in their
workplace. CWA organizers and staff can help. But it's the
workers who must join together and build their organization.
After talking with your co-workers to find out their issues, you
can call CWA to talk with a union organizer. He or she will set
up a meeting with you and some of your co-workers. Together, you
will create a plan for a organizing a union in your workplace.
A Typical Organizing Campaign
The campaign will consist of talking with co-workers about the
union, asking them to sign a petition of support. When there is
a strong majority of support (65% of employees have signed the
petition of support), the union will file for an election with
the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Usually, the NLRB
will then meet with the union and the employer to establish the
criteria for employees who will be eligible to vote in the union
election. The NLRB sets a date for a secret ballot election.
What You Can Do
Under Section 7 of the NLRA, you have the legal right to:
1. Attend meetings to discuss joining a union.
2. Read, distribute, and discuss union literature (as long as
you do this in non-work areas during non-work times, such as
during breaks or lunch hours).
3. Wear union buttons, t-shirts, stickers, hats, or other items
on the job.
4. Sign a card asking your employer to recognize and bargain
with the union.
5. Sign petitions or file grievances related to wages, hours,
working conditions, and other job issues.
6. Ask other employees to support the union, to sign union cards
or petitions, or to file grievances.
Bargaining a Contract
After the union's election victory is officially certified by
the NLRB, your employer is legally required to negotiate in
"good faith" with the union on a written contract
covering wages, hours, and other working conditions.
Public Workers
Some public workers do not have the right to bargain
collectively. However, they do have the right to form a union
and work together to lobby for better wages and working
conditions. Contact CWA to find out the laws in your state.
Contact Us
If you're interested in organizing a union in your workplace, e-mail
us a message. An organizer will contact you. He or she
can set up a meeting with you and some of your co-workers to
discuss the possibility of a union in your workplace.
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