Research Discloses New Approaches to Union Organizing

Abstract

Under the National Labor Relations Act, union organizing has taken a predictable path for nearly a century. Target an employer. Drum up employee support. File a petition. Win an election. Employers have increasingly seen instances of non-traditional organizing, such as grassroots unions or industry-wide initiatives by employee groups. A 2025 research report, “Beyond the NLRB: Contemporary Strategies and Practices for Labor Movement Revival,” available from the Arizona State University Center for Work and Democracy, provides an evidence-based approach to help identify such modern-day, alternative approaches to union organizing.