LawHelp State Frequently Asked Questions

Civil legal information in Virginia

VaLegalAid.org Home > Employment >

Questions and Answers about Unions
by: Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society
Q.	Can my employer make me join a union?

A.	No. Virginia is a "Right to Work" state. This means that your employer can not require you to join or remain a member of a union.

Q.	Can my employer prevent me from becoming a member of a union?

A.	No. By law, an employer can not prevent you from becoming a member of a union.

Q.	As a union member, do I have any rights?

A.	Yes. Under the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act, if you belong to union, you have certain rights. You have the right participate as fully and equally as any other member (this means that you have the right to vote, attend meetings and access union publications). You have the right to essential information (this includes financial reports, union contracts and bylaws). You have the right to free speech. You have the right to free assembly.

Q.	As a worker, do I have any rights?

A.	You might. If you qualify for it, the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) protects your right to (1) form a union, (2) join a union, (3) assist a union in organizing and (4) engage in group activities intended to raise wages or improve working conditions. But not everyone qualifies for the NLRA.

Q.	Do I qualify for the National Labor Relations Act?

A.	You will qualify so long as you are NOT an agricultural laborer, an independent contractor, a supervisor, working in someone's home as a domestic worker, employed by your parent or spouse, a government employee, or working for someone who is not an employer under the NLRA. If you have questions about whether you qualify for the NLRA, you should contact an attorney.


	Search This Site

	Need Help with Your Search?

Find Legal Help On

Related Resources

more...

	Last Reviewed On: 08/10/04

Information Not Legal Advice. This web site has been prepared for general information purposes only. The information on this web site is not legal advice. Legal advice is dependent upon the specific circumstances of each situation. Also, the law may vary from State to State, so that some information in this web site may not be correct for your jurisdiction. Finally, the information contained in this web site is not guaranteed to be up to date. Therefore, the information contained in this web site cannot replace the advice of competent legal counsel licensed in your state.

Lawyer Advertising. In some jurisdictions this web site may be considered lawyer advertising. The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements.

Any listing of an attorney does not constitute a recommendation of the attorney. Before hiring any attorney, you should investigate the attorney''s reputation and qualifications.

Links. This web site contains links to other resources on the Internet. Those links are provided as citations and aids to help you identify and locate other Internet resources that may be of interest, and are not intended to state or imply that we sponsor or are affiliated or associated with the persons or entities who created such site, nor are the links intended to state or imply that we are legally authorized to use any trade name, registered trademark, logo, legal or official seal, or copyrighted symbol that may be reflected in the links.

E-mail. Viewing this Web site , or transmitting an e-mail message through this Web site, does not create an attorney-client relationship. Sending e-mail to an attorney mentioned in this site does NOT create an attorney-client relationship between you and the attorney. Unless you are already a client of the attorney, your e-mail may NOT be protected by the attorney-client privilege. Moreover, unless it is encrypted, e-mail can be intercepted by persons other than the recipient. Deadlines are extremely important in most legal matters. You may lose important legal rights if you do not hire an attorney immediately to advise you. Many people do not check their e-mail daily, and some attorneys do not respond to unsolicited e-mail from non-clients.

Take our survey and let us know if this site was helpful.

VaLegalAid.org is a project of legal aid offices across Virginia, the Virginia Poverty Law Center, the Legal Services Corporation of Virginia, and the Legal Services Corporation. It is produced in cooperation with Pro Bono Net and legal services organizations and government agencies throughout Virginia and the United States.