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Notice of Petition for Election from the National Labor Relations Board

September 25, 2024

NOTICE OF PETITION FOR ELECTION

This notice is to inform employees that Prairie State Legal Services, Inc. has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a Federal agency, in Case 25-RM-351013 seeking an election to determine if its employees in the unit set forth below wish to be represented by National Organization of Legal Services Workers, International Union UAW, Local 2320 for the purposes of collective bargaining:

Included: Annual Giving Specialist, Community Resource Specialist, Development Coordinator, Major Giving Specialist, Office Assistant, Paralegal, Pro Bono Coordinator, Senior Grants Manager, Senior Paralegal, Senior Pro Bono Coordinator, Senior Staff Attorney, Senior Subject Matter Lead Attorney, Staff Attorney, Telephone Counseling Attorney, Telephone Counseling Intake Specialist, Testing and Outreach Coordinator.

Excluded: All other employees, including but not limited to, office clerical employees, confidential employees, professional employees, managers, guards, and supervisors as defined in the Act.

This notice also provides you with information about your basic rights under the National Labor Relations Act, the processing of the petition, and rules to keep NLRB elections fair and honest.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT under Federal Law

  • To self-organization
  • To form, join, or assist labor organizations
  • To bargain collectively through representatives of your own choosing
  • To act together for the purposes of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection
  • To refuse to do any or all of these things unless the union and employer, in a state where such agreements are permitted, enter into a lawful union-security agreement requiring employees to pay periodic dues and initiation fees. Nonmembers who inform the union that they object to the use of their payments for nonrepresentational purposes may be required to pay only their share of the union's costs of representational activities (such as collective bargaining, contract administration, and grievance adjustments).

PROCESSING THIS PETITION

Elections do not necessarily occur in all cases after a petition is filed. NO FINAL DECISIONS HAVE BEEN MADE YET regarding the appropriateness of the proposed unit or whether an election will be held in this matter. If appropriate, the NLRB will first see if the parties will enter into an election agreement that specifies the method, date, time, and location of an election and the unit of employees eligible to vote. If the parties do not enter into an election agreement, usually a hearing is held to receive evidence on the appropriateness of the unit and other issues in dispute. After a hearing, an election may be directed by the NLRB, if appropriate.

IF AN ELECTION IS HELD, it will be conducted by the NLRB by secret ballot and Notices of Election will be posted before the election giving complete details for voting.

ELECTION RULES

The NLRB applies rules that are intended to keep its elections fair and honest and that result in a free choice. If agents of any party act in such a way as to interfere with your right to a free election, the election can be set aside by the NLRB. Where appropriate the NLRB provides other remedies, such as reinstatement for employees fired for exercising their rights, including backpay from the party responsible for their discharge.

The following are examples of conduct that interfere with employees' rights and may result in setting aside the election:

  • Threatening loss of jobs or benefits by an employer or a union
  • Promising or granting promotions, pay raises, or other benefits, to influence an employee's vote by a party capable of carrying out such promises
  • An employer firing employees to discourage or encourage union activity or a union causing them to be fired to encourage union activity
  • Making campaign speeches to assembled groups of employees on company time, where attendance is mandatory, within the 24-hour period before the polls for the election first open or, if the election is conducted by mail, from the time and date the ballots are scheduled to be sent out by the Region until the time and date set for their return
  • Incitement by either an employer or a union of racial or religious prejudice by inflammatory appeals
  • Threatening physical force or violence to employees by a union or an employer to influence their votes

Please be assured that IF AN ELECTION IS HELD, every effort will be made to protect your right to a free choice under the law. Improper conduct will not be permitted. All parties are expected to cooperate fully with the NLRB in maintaining basic principles of a fair election as required by law. The NLRB as an agency of the United States Government does not endorse any choice in the election.

For additional information about the processing of petitions, go to www.nlrb.gov or contact the NLRB at (309)671-7080.

THIS IS AN OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT NOTICE AND MUST NOT BE DEFACED BY ANYONE. IT MUST REMAIN POSTED WITH ALL PAGES SIMULTANEOUSLY VISIBLE UNTIL REPLACED BY THE NOTICE OF ELECTION OR THE PETITION IS DISMISSED OR WITHDRAWN.