Organizing

ORGANIZING

THE LAW AND YOU

THE US GOVERNMENT STANDS BEHIND YOU!

It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States to eliminate the causes of certain substantial obstructions to the free flow of commerce . . . by protecting the exercise by workers of full freedom of association, self-organization, and designation of representatives of their own choosing, for the purpose of negotiating the terms and conditions of their employment or other mutual aid or protection.

"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."

The language above is quoted from the National Labor Relations Act, as amended. The United States Congress passed this law to protect you. The purpose of this booklet is to acquaint you with your rights under that law as determined by the Supreme Court, the Federal Courts and the National Labor Relations Board. Read it carefully. You will find that you are protected in many ways when you join the Teamsters. It will explain why your employer violates the law if he should fire you, discipline you, or threaten you in any way because you want to join. You enjoy these rights as a citizen. But, as a member of the Teamsters you have the strongest Union in the USA to help you enforce these rights.

DISCHARGE AND DISCIPLINE
The law protects you from discharge or discipline because of your interest in the Teamsters. Section 8 (a) (3) of the Act makes it unlawful for your employer to discriminate against you in regard to tenure or any other condition of employment in order to discourage your interest in the Teamsters.

If your employer takes away your seniority, lays you off, reduces your wages, or discriminate against you in any other way because of your union activities, the law will protect you. It will require him to restore your position and make him pay you for any damages, including lost wages, which you suffered. If an employee is fired because of his interest in or activities on behalf of the Teamsters, the law will make the employer reinstate him with all rights and with full back pay. Every year the National Labor Board orders employers to pay millions of dollars in back pay.

Furthermore, your employer can't tell you that he won't abide the order of the Labor Board. The Federal Courts enforce these orders of the Board for you. The courts have held employers in contempt of court for refusing to comply with these orders. In one case, rather than just fining the employer for such refusal, the court put the president of the company in jail until he complied.

THREATS - PROMISES - COERCION
Section (8) (a) (1) of the National Labor Relations Act provides that an employer cannot interfere with, restrain or coerce you in the exercise of your rights under the Act.

Because of this provision your employer cannot threaten to fire you, lay you off, suspend you or close down his business, or make any other threats because of your interests in the Teamsters. If your employer does threaten you, remember it is unlawful for him to do so and the law will protect you. You are not alone. Your employer may promise you benefits such as an increase in wages in order to keep the union out. Do NOT believe him. Only a contract obtained through collective bargaining can obligate an Employer to pay an increase. Without a contract he is not obligated to give an increase and can cancel any increase he may give to any time. There are many other things that this section of the Act makes unlawful. The employer cannot call you into his office and question you about the union. He cannot spy on your meetings or ask you what went on, or who was there. This is not all that this section makes unlawful, but these things should give you an idea of the type of conduct, which the law forbids.