The following information is to provide you with knowledge of your rights and how they came to be under State and Federal Law. These are condensed versions. You may go to the Dept. of Labor and the State Labor Commission through the links on the Home Page for more detailed information. If you have any questions regarding your work environment, please contact a union steward listed on this page.    

LABOR RELATIONS COMMISSION – COMMONWEALTH OF MASS

In 1958 – All public employees (except police officers) in Massachusetts are granted the right to join unions and to “present proposals” to public employers.

In 1973 – Mass General Law c.150E is enacted, granting full collective bargaining rights to most state and municipal employees.

NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS ACT – Enacted in 1935

• The Act declared the official policy of the United States to be to “encourage the practice and procedure of collective bargaining.”

• Section 7 defines protected activities such as forming, joining or assisting a union.

• Section 8 defines unfair labor practices such as interference or coercion by the employer and bargaining rights

• Section 9 provides exclusive representation of the bargaining unit provided the union is certified or recognized.

• The Act sets out general rights and obligations to be enforced by a board.

National Labor Relations Board

The board divides bargaining into two categories: Mandatory subjects must be bargained and Permissive subjects are not required to be bargained.

Examples of Mandatory Bargaining Subjects

• Absence and tardy rules

• Business ethics policies

• Disciplinary procedures or penalties

• Dress codes

• Employee privileges (right to listen to radio, receive phone calls, smoke, etc.)

• Evaluation system

• Grievance procedures

• Job qualifications

• Meal breaks

• Transfer of bargaining unit work to non bargaining unit employees

• Vacation policies

• Workloads and rules