You are a supervisor at a large manufacturing firm. What should and shouldn't you do during organizing and preelection campaigns?

What will be an ideal response?

Answer: Supervisors are an employer's first line of defense in the unionizing effort. They are often in the best position to sense employee attitude problems and to discover the first signs of union activity. However, supervisors can also inadvertently undermine their employer's union efforts. Supervisory unfair labor practices could then (1) cause the NLRB to hold a new election after your company has won a previous election, or (2) cause your company to forfeit the second election and go directly to contract negotiation.

Supervisors can use the acronym TIPS to remember what not to do during the campaigns. Do not Threaten, Interrogate, make Promises to, or Spy on employees (for instance, do not threaten that you will close or move the business, cut wages, reduce overtime, or lay off employees). FORE outlines what you may do. You may give employees Facts (like what signing the authorization card means), express your Opinion about unions, explain factually correct Rules (such as that the law permits permanently replacing striking employees), and share your Experiences about unions. The Know Your Employment Law feature expands on this.