Under rules originally set by the National Labor Relations Act of 1935, every worker in the United States has the legal right to join an existing union or organize a new one. Employers cannot legally retaliate against you, threaten you, or take discriminatory action.
The one caveat is that existing unions and their local chapters usually have requirements for entry, as well as a limitation on the size of their membership rolls. A prospective member needs to meet eligibility criteria and apply for membership, similar to applying for a job.
With a trade labor union, an individual has to go through an apprenticeship program to be qualified as a “skilled” laborer or a “journeyman” before they are considered for entry. Other times, an applicant merely has to be employed in the profession the union concerns, such as a local teacher’s union or the American Postal Workers Union.
So technically, anyone can join a union, but you may need to meet certain minimum qualifications. The following are some of the minimum qualifications that may be required before you can join a specific trade union in your local community.