Unions and Collective Bargaining

Unions are organizations of workers who bargain together with employers over pay, hours, and conditions, and collective bargaining is that negotiation. Federal and state labor laws protect the right to organize in many settings and set rules for elections, contracts, and strikes. The National Labor Relations Board and the courts enforce these rules, and public-sector workers follow separate laws.

People usually bring questions about what unions do, how bargaining works, and why some workers, such as postal employees, cannot strike. They also ask how unions have changed over time, why business and labor often disagree, what role teacher and federal employee unions play, and what pressures unions face.