UNITED METHODIST UNION
UNITED METHODIST UNION
“We affirm the right of all public and private employees and employers to organize for collective bargaining into unions and other groups of their own choosing. We support the right of all workers to share fully in the prosperity of society.”
— The Book of Discipline, ¶163.B
Your Legal Right to Organize
Under federal and state law, including the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), and state labor laws, you have the right to form, join, and advocate for a union without fear of retaliation. The United Methodist Church’s own doctrine affirms this right—making any effort to suppress worker organization both unlawful and contrary to Church teachings. (The Book of Discipline, ¶163.B)
Did you know?
The United Methodist Church asks its employees to sign severance pay settlements that require them to forfeit their rights to sue or claim under key labor laws and protections.
This means that, in exchange for severance pay, employees are being asked to waive their ability to seek justice for violations of some of the most fundamental labor laws in our country. By signing such agreements, employees could unknowingly forfeit their rights to challenge wrongful treatment, discrimination, and unfair labor practices that are enshrined in both federal and state laws.
