What types of non-traditional employee actions are protected by the NLRA?
The NLRA protects associational rights of both union and non-union employees. Section 7 of the NLRA provides in relevant part: “Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organization, 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, and shall also have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities * * *.” (29 USC 157). “Employees” covered by the Act can include almost any employee except “supervisors.” Section 2(11) defines “supervisor” as: “* * * any individual having authority, in the interest of the employer, to hire, transfer, suspend, lay off, recall, promote, discharge, assign, reward, or discipline other employees, or responsibly to direct them, or to adjust their grievances, or effectively to recommend such action, if in connection with the foregoing the exercise of such authority is not
