Reaching non-unionized workers: the labor board’s regional outreach efforts

Abstract The National Labor Relations Act (“the Act”) was once considered a successful experiment in workplace self-regulation. Employees were empowered to bargain for working conditions with employers, and the National Labor Relations Board (“the Board”) enforced the necessary rights and processes. Over time, employer resistance eroded the statute’s protections and drove deunionization. In the early 2010s, however, some Board officials recognized community-based workers’ rights organizations as opportunities to inform non-unionized workers of their right to “concerted activity” under the Act. I argue that this effort is analogous to creative and strategic approaches taken in other workplace law agencies, and its uptake among some officials reflected differences in local labor organizing networks among the regional offices, and divergent perceptions of the law. Thus, this study bridges sociological insights on legal consciousness with the growing literature on creative and collaborative workplace law enforcement.