How to Apply for a Union Job

If you want to work where employees are represented by an organization that bargains collectively for wages and benefits, your best bet is to find a union job that matches your work experience. You can start by finding a union that has an apprenticeship program that provides training. However, if you're experienced in a profession, you can most likely bypass the union job training. Ultimately, the union that you choose will be determined by the skill you have in specific profession. For example, there are many unions in construction, medical practices, and in the arts.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

How to Apply for a Union Job

1. Know your rights by reading the National Labor Relations Act (See Resources).

2. Decide what type of union you want to belong to as determined by your profession (see Resources).

3. Find the labor union closest to you at the Central Labor Council website (see Resources). Click on your state and you'll be taken to a page with a list of union contacts, including the state federation and central labor councils. You'll also find links to the union websites that include job postings.

4. Call or email the union that is in your career field to directly find out if there are any union jobs available.

5. Go to the Union Jobs Clearinghouse website to look for jobs with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and click on the "Staffing Positions" option on the bottom of the page (see Resources).

6. Contact a union organizer by filling out the form from the AFL-CIO website and an organizer will get in touch with you (see Resources).

References

• Unions 101
• How to Form a Union Where You Work
• Need Advice: Applying for a Union Apprenticeship

Resources

• Labor Unions - Types of Unions
• State Labor Offices
• Union Jobs Clearinghouse
• National Labor Relations Act
• Joining a Union Form

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