The following are employee rights guaranteed by federal law under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act (LMRDA) to union members or employees represented by a union that may not be guaranteed by federal law to employees “represented” by a non-union worker center.
- Right to express an opinion by secret ballot vote or card signature on whether a labor organization should represent the employees
- Right to dismiss a labor organization lacking majority support in the workplace by defeating its representation campaign or by decertification
- Freedom of speech within the union structure
- Freedom to assemble within the union structure (including forming an opposition group to the union leadership)
- Right to vote by secret ballot on union officers
- Right to stand for union office
- Right to inspect agreements between the labor organization and employer
- Right to inspect detailed union financial records to determine if dues are well-spent
- Right to a process to remove corrupt or criminal labor organization leadership
- Right to vote on agreements between employer and the labor organization
- Right to participate in labor organization meetings
- Right to vote by secret ballot on the amount of dues and fees owed to the local labor organization
- Right to vote by secret ballot for delegates to the parent labor organization’s convention
- Right to sue the labor organization without employer funding or interference
- Right to due process before a labor organization fines, suspends, or expels a member
- Right not to be disciplined by a labor organization for exercising LMRDA rights
- Right not to be “restrained, coerced, or intimidated” in the exercise of LMRDA rights
- Right to join or not join a labor organization freely
- Right to fair representation by a labor organization, regardless of membership status
- Right not to be disciplined for filing a decertification petition
- Right not to be disciplined for filing an unfair labor practice charge against the labor organization
- Proscription against violence on a picket line
- Proscription against threats against non-strikers
- Proscription against threats that non-supporters will lose their jobs
- Proscription against “excessive or discriminatory” dues and membership fees