Legal Rights - Information

Through labor laws and the union contract, union members have certain rights that protect them from unfair treatment and allow them to have a voice in their workplace. The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) provides most private sector workers with the right to form a union, bargain with the employer, and conduct concerted activities. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, similar laws provide these rights to public sector employees.

Two important rights that union members have are the “Weingarten Rights” to representation at a disciplinary conference and the contractual right to “just cause” discipline. Weingarten Rights and the requirement that employers can only discipline an employee on the basis of just or adequate causes provide union members with due process guarantees. In contrast, non-union employees are “at-will”; they can be disciplined, fired, or laid off without any reason and without any recourse.

In addition to labor laws and the union contract, there are many employment laws on the federal and state levels that have a significant impact on working conditions, wages, and benefits. HPAE’s officers, representatives, and Staff Representatives provide information and education about labor and employment laws that apply to all employees, including the Family and Leave Act (FMLA).