Have questions about unionization? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions. Click the questions below to see the answers. If you have a question, please ask here.
NEW: Your questions answered - Oct. 30
Leadership continues to listen to all employees when they voluntarily provide feedback about how we can improve. However, federal labor law prohibits JPL from implementing many types of changes during a union organizing campaign.
Our goal with this site is to provide fact-based information about unionization so that employees are informed before they decide whether or not to sign a union authorization card or petition.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has established rules about who is and is not eligible to join a union.
A union, if elected to represent some or all non-management JPLers, would attempt to negotiate a labor contract that may include rules about how seniority is determined and how seniority applies to things such as promotions and layoffs. There is no way to know, for certain, what those rules would be until a contract is reached. But, there are some union contracts that start “seniority” at the time an employee joins a bargaining unit for considerations such as promotions and layoffs.
JPL leadership believes a union would impede the Lab’s ability to confront its current challenges as well as those presented in the future by a rapidly changing industry. Leadership doesn’t see unionization as a good fit with our mission and culture at any time. At this moment, our focus is on “saving JPL” as a critical part of the space infrastructure of the United States.
Leadership’s concern about potential unionization has less to do with the name of the union and more to do with the potential impacts. We believe a union labor contract, regardless of which union is involved, could make JPL more bureaucratic and rigid, hampering our working partnerships between management and employees and slowing down our ability to solve problems and accomplish project tasks quickly.
We don’t know how unionization at JPL would affect Prime Contract negotiations with NASA. We do know that President Trump’s executive order ended union collective bargaining rights for civil servant employees at NASA. We also know that NASA issued a Request for Information from potential sources, beyond Caltech, who may be interested in managing JPL. The uncertainty we are facing is one of the many reasons why we don’t believe a union is right for JPL.
UAW’s dues, according to its organizers, are 1.44% of gross monthly pay. Depending on negotiations, dues may be deducted automatically from pay – similar to tax withholding – if the union is able to negotiate such a system in a labor contract. Many contracts include automatic dues deduction. Dues are not tax deductible, and they are charged on pre-tax pay.
UAW’s Constitution calls for members to face a union trial if they are charged with violating the rules in the Constitution, including “conduct unbecoming of a union member”. A union Trial Committee would determine a verdict and penalty. If a member is found guilty, the local union membership will vote to uphold or deny the Trial Committee’s verdict and penalty. UAW’s Constitution does not list an exact cost of fines. The penalty appears to be entirely up to the Trial Committee and the broader local union membership.
A union is allowed to spend the dues money it collects from members any way it sees fit, including on organizing campaigns at other employers. Employees may decide against officially joining the union, but they may still have to pay an “agency fee” in lieu of dues if a contract is reached and if it requires dues or fees as a condition of employment. An agency fee is typically 80% or more of regular dues and goes to cover the cost of negotiating a labor contract with the employer. It is less than regular dues because it doesn’t include the cost of other union activities. Everyone in the collective bargaining unit, even if they don’t officially join the union, would be required to follow the rules in the labor contract, and their pay, benefits and terms and conditions of employment would be what the union negotiates with JPL, if an agreement is reached.
A union, generally, is allowed to increase the cost of dues at any time. A union’s rate of dues is not something the union is required to negotiate with an employer.
A union, if elected or joined, becomes the sole and exclusive representative of an employee when it comes to their pay, benefits and terms and conditions of employment. Therefore there are no “non-union” employees in terms of being represented by the union.
If a labor contract exists, or is reached, union members must follow the rules in the agreement, and in the union’s Constitution and By-laws. Employees represented by a union – whether or not the employee supported organizing – do not have the right to opt out of the labor contract’s rules.
This means a union-represented employee is no longer allowed to deal directly with management about these questions. An employee may still raise concerns with management, or even ask for individual considerations, but management is not allowed to unilaterally implement any changes without first negotiating with the union.
A union also has its own set of rules, like those in UAW’s Constitution, that regulate the behavior of union members. UAW, for example, requires members to participate in all local, state and federal government elections and become educated and active in union policy discussions, among many other rules.
Employees in a union may still talk to supervisors/managers, including Group Supervisors. However, managers will not be allowed to change employee pay, benefits, terms and conditions of employment, or any other topic provided in a labor contract. without first negotiating with the union.
No, this is not required.
No, you will not be terminated for your support – or lack of support – for a union.
An employee cannot be required to officially join a union as a member. However, a labor contract may include certain requirements that apply to employees who do not join the union, including paying an “agency fee” in lieu of dues. In some union contracts payment of dues or agency fees is a condition of employment. In the contract between Caltech and the UAW, the union may charge represented employees a fee of $250 once per academic quarter if they do not pay dues or an agency fee to the union. This money is donated to Caltech Y, a separate, not-for-profit institution. (See Caltech-UAW contract, Article 37(G).)
An agency fee is typically 80% or more of regular union dues and goes to cover the cost of negotiating a labor contract with the employer, such as handling grievances, and other union business. It is less than regular dues because it doesn’t include the cost of other union activities, such as political contributions.
Because California is not a “right-to-work” state, unions may attempt to negotiate mandatory dues into contracts, providing represented employees with limited options. In some cases non-payment of dues or fees can lead to adverse employment action, including termination.
Also keep in mind that employees who do not officially join the union and pay full dues may not have a say in union business, such as voting about whether or not to ratify a contract or whether or not to authorize a strike.
Union supporters are allowed to make promises but cannot guarantee specific results. No one knows what will be in a labor contract until it is completed. The contract may include wages that are higher, even with dues and fees, or it may include wage increases that do not cover the cost of dues and fees.
A union may attempt to pressure employees to become a union member in the same way union organizers may have pressured employees to sign union authorization cards or vote for union representation, if an election is scheduled. However, if any employee feels they are being harassed they should report it to Human Resources.
JPL leadership is committed to answering as many questions as possible as quickly as possible. The questions answered here are verbatim except in instances where grammar or context changes are necessary to make the question clearer. We also have broken up some multi-part questions into individual questions for a clearer response.
We have chosen not to respond to questions submitted that were disrespectful and/or contained offensive language.
Federal labor law prohibits JPL from implementing many types of changes during a union organizing campaign. Legally, it is not possible to make many types of changes at this time.
JPL leadership agrees that looking at union contracts is a worthwhile endeavor. We have posted contracts from other FFRDCs, for example, to give employees a sense of what is, and is not, represented in collective bargaining agreements at similarly situated facilities. We have also posted the UAW contract covering graduate students at Caltech.
There is no way to know exactly what will be in a union contract until an agreement is reached — if one is reached. A union contract for graduate students is likely to be very different than a contract covering JPL because the work we do is different — and often more complex — than work in an academic setting.
The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a federal agency, is tasked with determining if a union has enough support from employees for an election.
The minimum amount of support is 30% of a proposed bargaining unit. If a petition is filed, JPL would have the opportunity to submit a list of employees in the petitioned for bargaining unit. The NLRB will compare the names on the list JPL submits to the signatures submitted by the union when it files the petition. The NLRB does not verify the accuracy of the signatures.
JPL follows all state and federal laws governing medical accommodations. We prefer to work directly with employees on any necessary process improvements.
A union labor contract may include language outlining the medical accommodations process, if both parties agree, but it would not change the laws we must follow.
This is a great question, and we want to validate how important pay increases are to JPLers.
Currently, JPL’s ability to provide salary increases is tied predominantly to its federal funding source and rules our sponsor has about salary ranges and limits (Federal Acquisition Regulation rules). In order to meet these requirements, while remaining competitive with other FFRDCs, aerospace businesses and technology companies, JPL utilizes salary surveys that are conducted and recognized by third parties. JPL uses this information to establish pay ranges. Employees are then paid according to the market range for their job classification in consideration of performance and contribution.
If a union wins an election to exclusively represent you, it likely will attempt to negotiate a labor contract that would cover JPLers’ wages, benefits and terms and conditions of employment. There is no way to guarantee a contract would include salary increases.
Additionally, as a concept, employee merit may or may not be a factor in determining compensation under a union contract. This would have to be negotiated and agreed between JPL/Caltech and a union, if one were elected to represent you.
Your Questions - Oct. 2, 2025
If a union is elected to represent all JPLers and a labor contract is reached, you and JPL, including your supervisor/manager, would be bound by the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and would have no option but to follow the rules in the labor contract even if you do not officially join the union as a voting member. The labor contract would cover your pay, benefits, grievance procedures, union steward authority in the workplace, workplace rules and the other terms and conditions of employment for all job classifications in the bargaining unit.
If you do not become a full voting member of the union, you may still be required to pay an “agency fee” to cover the cost of representation instead of full dues. You may consider asking the union now how much it would charge JPLers who decide to pay an agency fee. If you do not join the union as a voting member, you may not be allowed to participate in union business, including voting about ratifying labor contracts and strikes, or electing union leaders, but you would still be expected to abide by the labor contract.
If you are not interested in unionization, it is your right to campaign against the union and tell coworkers how you feel.
This website is not meant to silence JPLers. To the contrary, this website is meant to provide accurate facts and information about possible UAW unionization at JPL and encourage open discussion about whether a UAW union is right for the Lab. We respect JPLers’ intellectual curiosity and do hope that, after they consider the facts for themselves, they will agree that UAW representation is not in their best interest or the best interest of the JPL community.
If a union is elected, it will represent all the job classifications listed in the proposed bargaining unit, regardless of whether individual JPLers signed a card or voted against union representation. It is possible that the union could be elected to cover JPLers “wall to wall” — meaning that all non-management job classifications at JPL will be represented by the union. If a petition is filed, the list of potentially represented JPLers would be included in the union’s filing. JPL will have the opportunity to provide its position on whether the bargaining unit is appropriate under the law.
If the union petitions to represent all job classifications or only a subset of job classifications at JPL, and the union proceeds to win the election, those employees in the bargaining unit who did not vote for the union would still be represented by the union and covered by any collective bargaining agreement that might be negotiated.
To take a specific example: If the union successfully petitions to represent three Sections at the Lab, and if the majority of the combined employees in these three Sections vote for the union, then all employees in these three Sections would be represented and covered by any collective bargaining agreement that might be negotiated. Note that this remains true even if every employee in one of these Sections voted against the union (depending on the size of the respective sections).
ASRs are a term and condition of employment that would likely be negotiated in the labor contract. Employees in the bargaining unit would have to follow the rules for ASRs in the contract. Employees who are not in the bargaining unit would follow the process provided by the Lab.
No. Union cards have no effect on a planned reduction in force. Employers retain the ability to implement a reduction in force if there is a business need to do so. Nor can union representation prevent any future reduction in force – in fact, most labor contracts allow an employer to lay off employees. Union contracts may contain a negotiated layoff process, often based on inverse seniority, where the least senior employees are the first to be laid off.
As of October 1st, a vote on unionization at JPL is not currently scheduled because the union has not demanded recognition or filed a petition for an election with the National Labor Relations Board. JPL has no insight into the union’s timeline for filing a petition.
Employees who do not want to unionize have a legal right to organize and campaign against the union, just as pro-union JPLers have the right to campaign for the union. Beyond casual conversations, these activities should take place on non-work time in non-work areas.
If union organizers gain enough support, which is a minimum of 30% of the proposed bargaining unit, they may petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election.
The NLRB regional office in LA would determine the date of the election and conduct the vote. Observers on behalf of Lab management and the union (typically JPLers who are eligible to vote) would assist NLRB agents to ensure a fair process.
A union election is conducted by secret ballot. Employees who are eligible to vote would cast a ballot, with no identifying information. NLRB agents will tally the ballots and announce the results.
Eligible voters will be non-management employees who are in job classifications that the National Labor Relations Board determines should be eligible. The union has not filed a petition, so there is no way to know, today, who would be eligible to vote.
If the union files a petition for election, JPL will have the opportunity to provide its position as to whether the proposed bargaining unit is appropriate under the law.
By law, managers would not be in the bargaining unit or allowed to vote.
Not necessarily. A job title is not the only criterion the National Labor Relations Board uses to determine who is a manager and therefore not allowed to vote.
Managers, generally, are determined based on the type of work they perform. Any manager, or group supervisor, who has direct reports and participates in hiring, firing, performance evaluation, promotions, wage increases, and other similar activities is generally considered a statutory supervisor and would not be in the bargaining unit or allowed to vote.
An employee with a job that includes “manager” in the title but only manages a work process, and not people, may be in the bargaining unit and allowed to vote.
Eligible voters will be employees who are in jobs that are listed in the proposed bargaining unit if the union files a petition for an election with the National Labor Relations Board. The union has not filed a petition, so there is no way to know, today, who would be eligible to vote.
JPL will have the opportunity to provide its position on whether the proposed bargaining unit is appropriate under the law if the union files a petition for election.
Generally, only JPL business-related information can be posted on JPL premises; however, in the interest of allowing a full presentation of information on this important topic to the JPL community, the following locations have been identified for posting union-related posters of a reasonable size (whether for or against the union):
Building 150 – Bulletin board across from room 110
Building 169 – Bulletin board near elevator, 3rd floor
Building 183 – Bulletin board, 1st floor, East side wall
Building 198 – Bulletined board by elevator, 1st floor
Building 230 – Bulletin board, 2nd floor, area 273
Building 233 – Bulletin board by elevator, 1st floor
Building 238 – Bulletin board by elevator, 6th floor
Building 264 – Bulletin board, 6th floor, kitchenette, 619
Building 300 – Bulletin board by entrance, elevator, 1st floor
Building 301 – Magnetic bulletin board adjacent to elevators, all floors
Building 321- Kitchenette areas, all floors
If you have a concern about a poster, please feel free to let your supervisor know about the locations of the signs.
Whether JPLers should organize against unionization at JPL is an individual choice that they need to consider for themselves. JPLers who do not think a union will help the Lab have the right to campaign against unionization on non-work time in non-work areas, just as JPLers who are in favor of the union do. They may campaign in small ways, such as talking to colleagues informally about their concerns, or in big ways, such as creating a more formal counter-organizing effort.
Anyone who believes a union will not help JPL has the legal right to oppose the unionization effort.
JPL leaders believe a union is not the right fit for JPL. While it’s hard to say how big the effort is today, it is significant enough to provide education to JPLers about the potential effects of unionization at JPL.
JPL’s compensation process is based on many factors, including merit, market analysis and federal rules on how much we can pay for positions. JPL does not base compensation on favoritism and has established processes to eliminate the potential for favoritism.
A union would attempt to negotiate rules about compensation in a labor contract for all employees in the bargaining unit; however, JPL is not required to agree with a union’s demands on any issue, including compensation. Therefore, JPL’s compensation system could change following contract negotiations or it could stay the same.
JPL Workers United (JWU) is affiliated with the United Auto Workers (UAW), a third-party international union that represents employees at various employers. If the union wins an election to represent JPLers, any contract signed between Caltech/JPL and a union would be signed by the UAW as the legal entity. While we do not discount that some JPLers are involved in the organizing effort, and likely would be involved in bargaining a labor contract, the union (if elected) would still be an outside, third-party to JPL that has the exclusive legal authority to represent bargaining unit members.
The “right to refrain from any union activity” means you have the right to decline to sign a union authorization card, discuss the topic with union supporters, attend union meetings or other similar activities. It means you have the right to say “no” if contacted by union supporters or asked to sign something or join the organizing effort.
On the other hand, if a union were elected at JPL, all of the job classifications in the bargaining unit would be covered by any negotiated labor contract.
Employees who are in these job classifications would have the right to decline to officially join the union as members, but these employees would still be required to follow the terms and conditions in the labor contract. Their pay and benefits, for example, would be the same as those who joined the union.
Employees who do not join the union may still be required to pay an “agency fee” to cover the cost of contract negotiations. An agency fee can be almost as much as dues, and the amount is determined exclusively by the union.
Employees who do not join the union may not be allowed to participate in union business, such as voting to ratify a labor agreement or selecting union officers and representatives.
The NLRB administers a federal law called the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRB has regions throughout the nation with regional directors and staff who handle most of the agency’s day-to-day business. The directors report to the full NLRB board in Washington, D.C. That board is appointed by the President of the United States.
The NLRB is the arbiter of any dispute between an employer and a union.
The NLRB board, by its nature, is a political entity and may, or may not, make neutral decisions. Under President Biden, for example, the board was very pro-union following Biden’s promise to be the most pro-union president in history. Under other presidents, it has been more pro-employer.
President Trump’s appointments have not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Senate, so it is unclear how the Board will operate under the current administration.
No. JPL has the right to have a position on unionization and has made clear that JPL is not anti-union. While JPL deeply respects the role that organized labor has played in advocating for workplace protections in our nation’s history, JPL believes that forming a union at the Lab – especially at this critical time – would restrict JPL’s ability to address the urgent challenges we are facing as a Lab.
Union representation in any workplace is always a possibility. A union must have signed authorization cards from at least 30% of a proposed bargaining unit (the jobs that would be covered by the union) before it can petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election to determine whether or not employees want union representation.
Whether or not an election is certain at JPL is unknown. We do know that the UAW is soliciting signed union authorization cards from JPLers and is interested in representing them.
Only the union knows for sure how many JPLers have signed cards.
A union must have signed authorization cards from at least 30% of a proposed bargaining unit (the jobs that would be covered by the union) before it can petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election to determine whether employees want union representation.
A union often targets 60 or 70% before it files for an election to ensure a greater chance of winning.
This website is meant to provide facts about unionization to support JPLers as they decide whether or not they want to support possible unionization at JPL.
Right now, union organizers are asking JPLers to sign authorization cards. The union has not yet filed a petition for election. Only the union knows, at this point, how many people have signed cards and if or when it may file a petition.
A union must have signed authorization cards from at least 30% of a proposed bargaining unit (the jobs that would be covered by the union) before it can petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election to determine whether employees want union representation.
A union often targets 60 or 70% before it files for an election to ensure a greater chance of winning.
Only the union knows its organizing strategy after a layoff.
The union may use a layoff to try to increase the number of employees who have signed authorization cards. It may promise that having a union would prevent layoffs or mean a more transparent layoff process.
But these promises are not guaranteed. A labor contract typically gives management the exclusive authority to decide staffing levels, including any decision to lay off employees. A contract may include rules about the layoff process — for example, requiring the employer to lay off employees according to inverse seniority so that the least senior employees must be the first to go. No one knows what would be in a labor contract until (and if) one is reached.
Managers, generally, are determined based on the type of work they perform. Any manager, or group supervisor, who has direct reports and participates in hiring, firing, performance evaluation, promotions, wage increases and other similar activities is generally considered a statutory supervisor and would not be in the union.
It would be unlikely that a labor contract would restrict employees from moving out of an individual contributor role and into a management role or the other way around.
If an IC is promoted to management, the IC would no longer be in the union or covered by the labor contract. The inverse is true if a manager becomes an IC, and they may have to begin paying dues or fees as a condition of employment.
However, a labor contract may restrict the amount of individual contributor work a manager is allowed to perform while the manager is in a leadership role, such as a Group Supervisor.
Federal labor law prohibits an employer from surveying or polling employees about their position on unionization.
Beyond Slack and Reddit debates, employees who do not want a union may talk to their co-workers about their views in non-work areas on non-work time.
They may also organize more formally as a group to make their collective voices heard.
No one knows what will be in a union labor contract until it is completed. JPL is not able to guarantee any benefit will remain, just as the union is not able to guarantee any benefit will remain or come to exist in a contract.
The law allows a union to trade benefits employees have today to get something it wants, such as a requirement that dues are mandatory and are withheld from paychecks just like taxes.
Because outcomes from negotiations are uncertain, JPL is not able to predict what a union would propose or what the parties would agree upon.
JPL management is committed to engaging and learning from the JPL community about their concerns, and these concerns have shed light on areas of opportunity for JPL. As a key example, JPL acknowledges that communication around some of JPLers’ big concerns, like returning to on-site work, should have been better.
Right now, almost all of our focus is on “Saving JPL” — as we await a new budget and reorganize the Lab with a reduced workforce to be more efficient to support our mission.
We know we have a lot of work to do and would look forward to working with the JPL community to take JPL into the future.
Yes. If you do not want to unionize, the first step is to decline to sign an authorization card.
You may also consider talking to co-workers about how you feel about unionizing on non-work time in non-work areas.
A group of employees who are against unionization may also choose to organize in a more formal group to make their collective voices heard.
Authorization Cards
By signing a card, you are formally authorizing a specific union to serve as your exclusive representative and are waiving the right to represent yourself individually in conversations about your employment.
Signing an authorization card is not just a showing of interest or a request for more information – it is a legally binding declaration of support for a union.
If enough authorization cards are collected, a union can file for an election or demand to represent you without a formal election, subject to JPL’s agreement. If JPL refused to grant recognition to the union, it would have the option to file a petition for election with the NLRB.
If a union is certified, it becomes the exclusive representative for everyone in the defined unit – regardless of whether you vote for the union in an election (or vote at all) or choose to become a dues-paying union member.
An individual employee in the defined unit cannot opt out of the union’s coverage, rules, and representation – even if the individual does not vote for the union or choose to become a union member.
Signing an authorization card functions like a power of attorney that transfers your agency to the union in its efforts to get certified.
You may come across union materials that focus heavily on broad ideals that a union seeks to achieve but offer less detail on specific, long-term implications or difficult questions.
We encourage you to press the union representatives for specifics, ask for clarity where things feel vague, and consider how union representation may affect workplace flexibility, JPL’s unique workplace culture, performance-based systems, your ability to directly advocate for yourself (or others) in the workplace, external relations and contracts, and other issues that matter to you.
The idea that the formation of a union on Lab is solely JPLers coming together to brainstorm and request changes leaves out a key part of the union process.
Once certified, a union becomes a third-party legal representative with exclusive bargaining rights over your employment, and individual employees no longer have the full freedom to advocate directly for their own interests – even if an individual feels that they can better convey their own situation or contributions than the small number of JPL employee representatives who may be speaking on the employees’ behalf.
Union representation is a complete transfer of agency to an external entity even if some of the persons involved in your representation do happen to be JPLers.
This relationship becomes increasingly layered when a union is backed by a large international union like the United Auto Workers (UAW) that operates across sectors and has its own structure, leadership, and agenda. Such a union would not just represent your voice in the room, but those of a permanent intermediary with its own constraints and priorities.
Whether you choose to sign a union authorization card is entirely up to you.
It’s important to know that union organizers may be receiving direct instruction to be persistent in their outreach and demands for you to sign cards, and the cards may be presented as casual or symbolic.
While that approach is within organizers’ rights, you should never feel pressured into signing legally binding documents before you are fully ready or fully informed.
If you signed an authorization card without knowing its full implications or legal weight, or if you’ve otherwise reconsidered your choice, you have the right to ask for your card back or notify the union that you no longer support its effort.
Union Information
A union operates like a business. Its primary revenue sources are member dues and fees. Members pay for the union to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement, also known as a labor contract. Even though members pay for this service, unions do not have to uphold promises made during a campaign.
Yes, union organizers are like the sales team of the business. Their job is to recruit new business. If you are curious about how much union organizers are paid, that information is available on UAW’s annual public LM-2 report filed with the U.S. Department Labor.
A union is allowed to make any promises it would like during a campaign, but it cannot guarantee anything regarding the future of employees’ wages, benefits, or terms and conditions of employment. No one knows what will be in a collective bargaining agreement ahead of time.
There is no way the union can guarantee that things will only improve – and there is no way to guarantee that all represented employees will agree that any changes that occur actually are improvements. You may end up paying dues whether or not you like the terms negotiated in the labor contract.
It’s not that easy. If elected, it’s a difficult and lengthy process to decertify or remove a union, regardless of whether or not you are happy with union representation. There are specific timeframes when employees can attempt to remove a union, and such efforts are prohibited for at least one year after a union’s certification, if it wins an election to speak for you. Also, JPL and its leaders generally are not legally allowed to help employees with this process. Unions, however, use member dues to pay for “representational activities,” which can include dissuading employees who want to decertify the union from doing so.
Collective Bargaining
Collective bargaining is the back-and-forth process between a union and employer to try and reach an agreed upon labor contract, also known as a collective bargaining agreement. If a union is elected, the union will collect dues and/or fees from you in exchange for managing this process on your behalf.
According to an analysis by Bloomberg Law, it takes an average of 465 days to reach a first-time labor contract. While negotiating a contract, the employer must legally keep the status quo, meaning wages, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment generally cannot be changed – even if the employer would like to implement improvements that would benefit the employees in the defined unit.
The only topics that must be bargained are pay, benefits, and terms and conditions of employment, such as working hours, seniority, scheduling practices, promotions, transfers, and grievances. These topics are mandatory to discuss if one party brings them up and would likely be negotiated.
No. Like most negotiations, the process is two-sided and neither side is legally required to accept the other side’s demands. JPL can agree to or decline any union demand.
No. The National Labor Relations Board’s case law states: “Collective bargaining is potentially hazardous for employees, and as a result of such negotiations, employees might possibly wind up with less benefits after unionization than before.” (228 NLRB 440).
No. Collective bargaining occurs between the union and employer – these are the legal entities that represent each side. Each party may have a bargaining committee. The union’s bargaining committee could consist of selected members of the bargaining unit – either appointed or elected – and union officials who are not JPL employees, including union legal counsel. This bargaining committee could push to have the union focus on union priorities, even if they don’t align with yours.
No. Once a union has been voted in and a labor contract has been negotiated, you cannot opt out of the contract if you are included in the defined bargaining unit – even if you don’t like the terms, never supported the union, voted no in the election, or don’t want the union.
Dues
In California, there is no “Right-to-Work” law. This means unions can – and typically do – attempt to negotiate what is called a Union Security clause into the labor contract. This clause requires the employer to fire employees who fail to pay union dues. The overwhelming majority of labor contracts in California contain such a clause.
According to UAW supporters, union dues are 1.4 percent of monthly gross pay.
A union determines the amount it charges members and has the right to increase dues at any time. Dues amounts are not negotiated, and JPL would have no say in what the union charges.
Typically, when a union is newly elected, members will be required to pay dues after a collective bargaining agreement or labor contract is reached.
Yes, unions usually have a constitution and by-laws that members are required to follow. Not following the rules outlined in those documents can result in additional fees and assessments beyond monthly union dues. Before considering whether or not to elect a union, it’s important to read those documents so you are aware of the rules you would be expected to follow – and how the rules would apply to you even if you choose not to become a dues-paying member.