These are not vague principles — they are enforceable legal rights. Most knowledge workers have never heard of them. Here is what the law specifically protects.
The National Labor Relations Act is a federal law that gives most private-sector workers the right to act collectively — whether or not you have a union, and regardless of your job title.
Passed in 1935, the NLRA exists because Congress recognized that individual workers need collective power to negotiate with employers on fair terms. The law is enforced by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), an independent federal agency. Filing a charge is free.
You do not need a union to be protected. If you've never thought about labor law — if the word "union" feels foreign to your industry — the NLRA still applies to you. Two engineers talking over coffee about how AI layoffs are being handled? That conversation is federally protected.
The law protects "concerted activity" — when two or more employees act together to address working conditions. That includes Slack conversations with colleagues about AI changes, coordinating a group email to leadership asking for transparency, and collectively pushing back on restructuring plans.
Covered: Most private-sector employees — engineers, analysts, writers, designers, support staff, and most other non-management roles. Full-time and part-time.
Not covered: Federal, state, and local government employees (many have separate state protections); independent contractors (1099 workers); supervisors and managers as defined by the Act; agricultural and domestic workers.
The "manager" question: If your title says "manager" but you don't actually hire, fire, or direct other employees' work, you may still be covered. The NLRB looks at your actual duties, not your title.
Not sure? Call the NLRB helpline: 1-844-762-6572. You can ask anonymously before taking any action.
You have the right to form, join, or assist a labor organization. This includes informal organizing — talking to coworkers, signing petitions, and meeting off-site to discuss workplace concerns. An employer cannot fire you for this activity.
NLRA Section 7Even without a union, two or more employees acting together to improve working conditions are protected. This means you can collectively raise concerns about AI implementation, demand transparency, or coordinate a response — and your employer cannot legally punish you for it.
NLRA Section 7Your employer cannot prohibit you from discussing your pay, hours, or working conditions with coworkers. Any policy in your employee handbook that says otherwise is unenforceable under federal law. This includes discussing how AI changes may affect compensation.
NLRA Section 7If you have a union and a collective bargaining agreement, your employer is legally required to bargain with your union before making changes to wages, hours, and working conditions. AI that changes your job duties or eliminates positions likely triggers this requirement.
NLRA Section 8(a)(5)Your employer cannot threaten, discipline, fire, or otherwise retaliate against you for exercising your NLRA rights. This includes retaliation for organizing, for raising AI concerns collectively, or for filing a charge with the NLRB.
NLRA Section 8(a)(1) & (3)In unionized workplaces, unions have the right to request information about AI systems being deployed, how they work, and what impact they will have on jobs. Employers must provide this information.
NLRA Section 8(a)(5)See how they apply in real AI workplace scenarios, or learn the concrete steps to take right now.
See AI Scenarios → What To Do →