Collective bargaining is the formal process of negotiation between an employer and a group of employees that establishes the terms and conditions of their employment. The terms negotiated include pay, benefits, work hours, time off and more. The process results in a collective bargaining agreement, which legally binds both the employer and the employees to the terms agreed upon.

Often, employee groups that engage in collective bargaining choose to be represented by a union, an organization that serves as an agent representing a specific group of employees and collectively bargains with the employer on their behalf. In the United States, a federal agency called the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) generally oversees the process for employees seeking to form or join a union.

In order to represent a bargaining unit — a specific group of employees who collectively choose to unionize — a majority of all the members of that bargaining unit must vote in an election in favor of joining that union. When a bargaining unit’s members demonstrate enough support, organizers file an election petition, which in turn prompts an election in which all bargaining unit members are eligible to vote on whether or not to be represented by the union. 

Ultimately, the election to certify a union as the bargaining representative for a bargaining unit is decided by a majority of votes cast by the eligible members of the bargaining unit who choose to vote in the election. Therefore it is very important to participate in the election to ensure that your view on representation is heard and counted.

Further details on the election process are available on the National Labor Relations Board website.