Your Signature

A union’s first step to gain new members is getting employees to show support, usually by signing authorization cards, petitions, or agreeing online. Whatever form it takes, these expressions of employee support are legally binding!

It’s important to understand the facts about union authorization cards and other solicitations so you can make an informed choice if you are asked to sign a physical or online authorization card – whether it’s by a union organizer or one of your co-workers.

FAQs about Authorization Cards

What is a union authorization card?

A union authorization card is a legal and binding document. When signed, it gives the union the right to speak and bargain for you with Howmet Aerospace regarding your wages, hours, benefits and other conditions of employment if they get in.

Does signing a union card/petition require me to support the union?

No. But it is the first step toward unionization, and that is why we suggest you carefully think about what signing a card/petition means.

What are my rights if I don’t want to sign a union authorization card/petition?

Union organizers and employees who support them can be extremely persistent and aggressive. We want you to have the facts about your legal rights. Federal law provides employees with:

The right to sign or not sign a union card
The right to campaign for or against the union
The right to not be bothered by union supporters while you are working
The right to talk or not talk to a union representative if you are contacted at home or approached on your way to/from work
The right to tell union organizers you are not interested
The right to say “no”

What should I know about union authorization cards and online solicitation?

Union organizers are not required to explain the law to you. They don’t even have to tell you that what they want you to sign is a legal document.
You have the right to refuse to sign a card or support a union.
Union organizers are known to make misrepresentations, false statements, empty promises and even threats to get workers to sign cards. Threats or coercion from anyone attempting to get cards signed is unlawful.
Organizers have been known to pressure and harass workers at home, at work, on their personal telephones and via text and email messages to get them to support hiring the union.

What could a union authorization card look like?

While a union authorization card may appear to be simple at first glance, there is much more to it when you explore further.

Example union card

Union organizers may say signing a card is to get you more information or the opportunity for an election. But read the card closely. The card states that by signing, you are giving the union the right to represent you and speak for you. The union might also try to use the cards to become your representative without a secret ballot election.
Your signature—both handwritten and electronic—on this legal and binding document commits you to things you may not fully be aware of. If you change your mind and want the card back, which happens in many cases, the union organizer does not have to return the card.
A signed authorization card is typically valid for at least one year from the date you sign it. This means the union can decide when and how to use the card for quite a while. If the union doesn’t get the support, it initially hoped for, they can reuse the card months later. And they can do so without asking if you still support the union, even if you’ve changed your mind.
By obtaining your personal contact information on the card, a union organizer can communicate with you while you’re not at work. It might be handouts in the mail, emails, phone calls, or text messages. It could even be union supporters or organizers coming to your home in person, trying to get information about Howmet Aerospace, or pressuring you to give them names and addresses of fellow employees they could visit. These are common union tactics.
The union may ask for your job classification and rates of pay so the organizer can get a picture of how much Howmet Aerospace pays. No matter how much Howmet Aerospace pays employees, you can bet the organizer will promise more! Remember, the union cannot guarantee higher wages. If they make this promise, ask for it in writing.

Do unions use other forms of solicitation to get evidence of employee support?

Unions can gather evidence of support using other forms of documents, such as petitions or even sign-in sheets.
Another common practice is for the union to try to get employees to register support of content they see online or that they receive via social media. Federal authorities have said an employee’s electronic signature is as binding as an actual signature and can be obtained by simply clicking “agree” or “submit” in response to an online form.

Why is my signature so important to the union, and what does the union do with signed authorization cards/petitions?

The union can do several things with a signed authorization card/petition:

If the union gets 30% of employees in a bargaining unit (employee group) to sign cards, the union could go to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and file a petition for an election in which employees vote to determine whether or not they want to be unionized.
If the union gets enough signatures on a petition or signed cards – typically, a majority of the employees the union wants to represent it – it can demand Howmet Aerospace recognize it as the bargaining agent for all the employees in certain unit or units. Under this scenario, you could become unionized without a secret ballot election.
The union can keep the card because it’s valid for at least one year from the day it’s signed. (Organizers also may ask you not to date the card, which means the signed card remains valid longer.)
The union may use it to send you mail, to call you at home or to visit you at home.

Does signing a card guarantee better wages, benefits and working conditions?

Signing a union authorization card, petition or online form does not guarantee anything. If a union were to be voted in, the only thing it can do is negotiate on behalf of those it represents. In contract negotiations, you could end up with more, the same or less than you currently have. No one can predict the outcome of union contract negotiations.

If I sign a union authorization card and change my mind later, can I get it back?

If you sign a card and then later change your mind, you have every right to ask for the card back, and to rescind their authorization of union representation by sending a letter via certified mail to the union’s local office. It is also a good idea to send a copy to the National Labor Relations Board regional office as well, so that they know that you have revoked the authorization and requested that the card be returned. You also can attempt to revoke the card by asking the person the card was given to, to return it. Keep in mind, however, that person has no obligation to return your card.