From JPL’s Website: Your Questions

What They Wrote

Our Response

If a union is successfully organized, what are my options if I am not interested in joining a union?

If a union is elected to represent all JPLers and a labor contract is reached, you and JPL, including your supervisor/manager, would be bound by the terms of the collective bargaining agreement and would have no option but to follow the rules in the labor contract even if you do not officially join the union as a voting member. The labor contract would cover your pay, benefits, grievance procedures, union steward authority in the workplace, workplace rules and the other terms and conditions of employment for all job classifications in the bargaining unit.

If you do not become a full voting member of the union, you may still be required to pay an “agency fee” to cover the cost of representation instead of full dues. You may consider asking the union now how much it would charge JPLers who decide to pay an agency fee. If you do not join the union as a voting member, you may not be allowed to participate in union business, including voting about ratifying labor contracts and strikes, or electing union leaders, but you would still be expected to abide by the labor contract.

If you are not interested in unionization, it is your right to campaign against the union and tell coworkers how you feel.

Every JPL worker in the bargaining unit will have the opportunity to sign up as a dues-paying member after we vote to ratify a first contract. Every JPL worker will also have input on what goes into the contract throughout the bargaining process through electing peers to a bargaining team, surveys, voting on initial goals, town halls, conversations with coworkers, etc. Currently, we are all bound by upper management’s terms for pay, benefits, grievances, workplace rules, and other terms and conditions of employment. Through collective bargaining, we gain a voice in setting those terms.

Please see our FAQ - “Will I have to pay union dues?” for additional information about fair share fees.

If you have questions about unionization, please reach out to info@jplworkersunited.org and a colleague will get back to you.

Nothing says “we don’t trust our employees” louder than building an entire website to silence them.

This website is not meant to silence JPLers. To the contrary, this website is meant to provide accurate facts and information about possible UAW unionization at JPL and encourage open discussion about whether a UAW union is right for the Lab. We respect JPLers’ intellectual curiosity and do hope that, after they consider the facts for themselves, they will agree that UAW representation is not in their best interest or the best interest of the JPL community.

We urge upper management to engage in open discussion about unionization. At town halls, questions are preselected without transparency and upper management provides limited time for open questions at the end. Much of the information management has put out about forming a union is highly misleading. We requested that Director Dave Gallagher hold a town hall with upper management and union supporters so JPLers could receive factual information and engage in the free exchange of ideas, but management declined. We encourage our peers to review the FAQs on our website to consider accurate facts about unionization. We believe that forming JWU-UAW is in our best interest and will strengthen the Lab that we love.

If a union ends up getting formed, will everyone be forced to join? If we end up with only part of the Lab joining the union, how would that work for Annual Salary Reviews (ASRs)?

If a union is elected, it will represent all the job classifications listed in the proposed bargaining unit, regardless of whether individual JPLers signed a card or voted against union representation. It is possible that the union could be elected to cover JPLers “wall to wall” — meaning that all non-management job classifications at JPL will be represented by the union. If a petition is filed, the list of potentially represented JPLers would be included in the union’s filing. JPL will have the opportunity to provide its position on whether the bargaining unit is appropriate under the law.

If the union petitions to represent all job classifications or only a subset of job classifications at JPL, and the union proceeds to win the election, those employees in the bargaining unit who did not vote for the union would still be represented by the union and covered by any collective bargaining agreement that might be negotiated.

To take a specific example: If the union successfully petitions to represent three Sections at the Lab, and if the majority of the combined employees in these three Sections vote for the union, then all employees in these three Sections would be represented and covered by any collective bargaining agreement that might be negotiated. Note that this remains true even if every employee in one of these Sections voted against the union (depending on the size of the respective sections).

ASRs are a term and condition of employment that would likely be negotiated in the labor contract. Employees in the bargaining unit would have to follow the rules for ASRs in the contract. Employees who are not in the bargaining unit would follow the process provided by the Lab.

It’s true that if a majority of eligible employees vote “yes” to form a union, everyone would be represented, even those who voted “no”; that is how democracy works! But that doesn’t mean losing your voice, it means that you too will have a seat at the table. You will have the right to participate, give input, and vote on the contract that will shape our pay, benefits, and working conditions.

Without a union, these decisions are made unilaterally by upper management, and employees like us have no formal say.

It’s true that if workers form a union, things like Annual Salary Reviews (ASRs) would become part of the negotiated contract, but that is one of the biggest advantages. With a union, ASRs would be guaranteed and negotiated, not discretionary. We could bargain for:

What is something you wish you had more say about at JPL?

Does signing a union card affect upcoming layoffs?

No. Union cards have no effect on a planned reduction in force. Employers retain the ability to implement a reduction in force if there is a business need to do so. Nor can union representation prevent any future reduction in force – in fact, most labor contracts allow an employer to lay off employees. Union contracts may contain a negotiated layoff process, often based on inverse seniority, where the least senior employees are the first to be laid off.

Unionized workers have far more protection and power to protect our jobs than workers without a union. There are countless examples of workers successfully organizing to protect their jobs: California state scientists recently suspended a return to office order, CalArts faculty and staff recently negotiated voluntary retirement plans as an alternative to layoffs, UC academic workers just worked with state elected leaders and prevented funding cuts, etc. Indeed, we have already been organizing together to demand transparency and accountability from management. In February, JPL workers signed and delivered a letter demanding that upper management hold a town hall to address the cuts to DEI. JPLers have been meeting with elected representatives, including Representative Judy Chu and State Senator Sasha Renee Perez, to discuss how we can increase funding for space and climate science. By forming a union and having a collective voice, we can accomplish far more than we could as individuals.

When will a vote take place, and can we do anything to delay this so that parties that are opposed to unionization have time to organize and be heard?

As of October 1st, a vote on unionization at JPL is not currently scheduled because the union has not demanded recognition or filed a petition for an election with the National Labor Relations Board. JPL has no insight into the union’s timeline for filing a petition.

Employees who do not want to unionize have a legal right to organize and campaign against the union, just as pro-union JPLers have the right to campaign for the union. Beyond casual conversations, these activities should take place on non-work time in non-work areas.

Once a strong majority of JPL employees sign, we will have several options for union certification. The NLRB requires a majority of votes cast in the election to be supportive. Alternatively, we could work with upper management to have a free and fair recognition process. For example, Contract Faculty United-UAW (the union for non-tenure-track faculty at NYU) reached an agreement with the NYU administration for their union election: NYU agreed to remain neutral and the American Arbitration Association independently administered the election. Whether we have a NLRB election or JPL/Caltech agrees to a fair and free recognition process, we will want to have as much turnout and support as possible to create a mandate for negotiating a strong contract.

We encourage any fellow JPLers who have concerns or questions about forming a union to reach out at info@jplworkersunited.org. We welcome discussion and the free exchange of all ideas.

Will any “voting” day be recognized? Who conducts the election, and how do we know it is fairly conducted?

If union organizers gain enough support, which is a minimum of 30% of the proposed bargaining unit, they may petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election.

The NLRB regional office in LA would determine the date of the election and conduct the vote. Observers on behalf of Lab management and the union (typically JPLers who are eligible to vote) would assist NLRB agents to ensure a fair process.

A union election is conducted by secret ballot. Employees who are eligible to vote would cast a ballot, with no identifying information. NLRB agents will tally the ballots and announce the results.

Management’s answer is correct. We want to have a conversation with every JPLer about signing a union card, what it means to form a union, and help answer questions. The NLRB requires at least 30% of eligible employees to sign cards to trigger an election; we want to file our petition or demand recognition with supermajority support.

Who would be eligible to vote and who is considered management and therefore cannot vote?

Eligible voters will be non-management employees who are in job classifications that the National Labor Relations Board determines should be eligible. The union has not filed a petition, so there is no way to know, today, who would be eligible to vote.

If the union files a petition for election, JPL will have the opportunity to provide its position as to whether the proposed bargaining unit is appropriate under the law.

By law, managers would not be in the bargaining unit or allowed to vote.

Correct. JPL Workers United seeks to represent regular full-time and part-time JPL employees who receive their paychecks from Caltech. If you are a JPL employee and have questions or want to sign up, please contact: info@jplworkersunited.org or reach out to us on the “contact us” part of the website.

If someone has “manager” anywhere in their title, are they ineligible to vote?

Not necessarily. A job title is not the only criterion the National Labor Relations Board uses to determine who is a manager and therefore not allowed to vote.

Managers, generally, are determined based on the type of work they perform. Any manager, or group supervisor, who has direct reports and participates in hiring, firing, performance evaluation, promotions, wage increases, and other similar activities is generally considered a statutory supervisor and would not be in the bargaining unit or allowed to vote.

An employee with a job that includes “manager” in the title but only manages a work process, and not people, may be in the bargaining unit and allowed to vote.

Eligible voters will be employees who are in jobs that are listed in the proposed bargaining unit if the union files a petition for an election with the National Labor Relations Board. The union has not filed a petition, so there is no way to know, today, who would be eligible to vote.

JPL will have the opportunity to provide its position on whether the proposed bargaining unit is appropriate under the law if the union files a petition for election.

Management’s answer is mostly correct, although there is a way to know who we seek to represent: you can read our website, jplworkersunited.org. See the answer directly above for more information.

I'm seeing pro-union signs taped up all over Lab. Are there guidelines about where such material can or can't go? How should we respond to signs that are posted improperly?

Generally, only JPL business-related information can be posted on JPL premises; however, in the interest of allowing a full presentation of information on this important topic to the JPL community, the following locations have been identified for posting union-related posters of a reasonable size (whether for or against the union):

Building 150 – Bulletin board across from room 110

Building 169 – Bulletin board near elevator, 3rd floor

Building 183 – Bulletin board, 1st floor, East side wall

Building 198 – Bulletined board by elevator, 1st floor

Building 230 – Bulletin board, 2nd floor, area 273

Building 233 – Bulletin board by elevator, 1st floor

Building 238 – Bulletin board by elevator, 6th floor

Building 264 – Bulletin board, 6th floor, kitchenette, 619

Building 300 – Bulletin board by entrance, elevator, 1st floor

Building 301 – Magnetic bulletin board adjacent to elevators, all floors

Building 321- Kitchenette areas, all floors

If you have a concern about a poster, please feel free to let your supervisor know about the locations of the signs.

In our experience, JPL management allows for all kinds of things ("business-related" and not) to be posted on bulletin boards, which means (legally) that it could be questionable for management to start restricting union-related materials. JPL employees took care to follow proper procedures to appropriately display posters.

What can be done to counter the pro-union campaign effort? Do we need to start standing against unionization? Has the effort gotten big enough to worry about?

Whether JPLers should organize against unionization at JPL is an individual choice that they need to consider for themselves. JPLers who do not think a union will help the Lab have the right to campaign against unionization on non-work time in non-work areas, just as JPLers who are in favor of the union do. They may campaign in small ways, such as talking to colleagues informally about their concerns, or in big ways, such as creating a more formal counter-organizing effort.

Anyone who believes a union will not help JPL has the legal right to oppose the unionization effort.

JPL leaders believe a union is not the right fit for JPL. While it’s hard to say how big the effort is today, it is significant enough to provide education to JPLers about the potential effects of unionization at JPL.

We encourage the free discussion of ideas and information about unionization. If you would like to discuss or share your perspective, please contact info@jplworkersunited.org.

We disagree with management’s statement that a union is “not the right fit.” With a union, we will have the right to collectively negotiate over any changes to our working conditions, and a stronger unified voice to advocate for federal funding. We believe this will strengthen JPL.

I think JPL has unchecked favoritism, and I want a third party to handle compensation.

JPL’s compensation process is based on many factors, including merit, market analysis and federal rules on how much we can pay for positions. JPL does not base compensation on favoritism and has established processes to eliminate the potential for favoritism.

A union would attempt to negotiate rules about compensation in a labor contract for all employees in the bargaining unit; however, JPL is not required to agree with a union’s demands on any issue, including compensation. Therefore, JPL’s compensation system could change following contract negotiations or it could stay the same.

In reality, JPL’s pay and evaluation system is not transparent. There’s no clear information on how “merit” is actually measured, how market data factors in, or what determines who gets a raise or promotion. Most of it comes down to individual managers, with no outside review to make sure those decisions are consistent or fair.

Accountability has slipped even further when managers stopped writing anything down during annual contribution conversations. Without those records, there’s no way to connect feedback to pay outcomes or to see patterns over time. When nothing is documented and no one outside management is checking the process, it’s impossible to tell whether pay decisions are based on performance or preference. That’s how favoritism ends up hiding in plain sight.

Our union would not be a third party - we would be the ones proposing improved processes based on our own experiences. Some examples of merit-review systems we might consider bargaining for:

Why do you keep referring to the union as a “third party” when the organizing effort is led by JPLers?

JPL Workers United (JWU) is affiliated with the United Auto Workers (UAW), a third-party international union that represents employees at various employers. If the union wins an election to represent JPLers, any contract signed between Caltech/JPL and a union would be signed by the UAW as the legal entity. While we do not discount that some JPLers are involved in the organizing effort, and likely would be involved in bargaining a labor contract, the union (if elected) would still be an outside, third-party to JPL that has the exclusive legal authority to represent bargaining unit members.

We - JPL workers - are leading this effort and will continue to do so throughout the bargaining process. After we vote yes to form our union, all JPL workers will fill out bargaining surveys, talk with colleagues about bargaining priorities, democratically elect peers to a bargaining team, vote to ratify initial bargaining demands, take action together to win our contract, and ultimately vote on whether to ratify the contract. We reached out to UAW because they have a track record of success helping researchers win strong contracts, including Caltech graduate student workers and postdocs. The union is not an “outside, third-party” - it is us! “Exclusive legal authority” means every JPLer is represented in negotiations, and management cannot make a side deal that ignores our union.

For those of us horrified at the prospect of being forced to unionize, does the right to "Refrain from any union activity" mean we have a right to refuse to join any union that may force its way onto the Lab in the future, should that take place?

The “right to refrain from any union activity” means you have the right to decline to sign a union authorization card, discuss the topic with union supporters, attend union meetings or other similar activities. It means you have the right to say “no” if contacted by union supporters or asked to sign something or join the organizing effort.

On the other hand, if a union were elected at JPL, all of the job classifications in the bargaining unit would be covered by any negotiated labor contract.

Employees who are in these job classifications would have the right to decline to officially join the union as members, but these employees would still be required to follow the terms and conditions in the labor contract. Their pay and benefits, for example, would be the same as those who joined the union.

Employees who do not join the union may still be required to pay an “agency fee” to cover the cost of contract negotiations. An agency fee can be almost as much as dues, and the amount is determined exclusively by the union.

Employees who do not join the union may not be allowed to participate in union business, such as voting to ratify a labor agreement or selecting union officers and representatives.

We hope anyone who is horrified will talk to a fellow JPLer about unionizing! We 100% stand by the democratic nature of the process, including the ability of anyone to freely associate or not with our campaign. And while some of the points management makes are accurate, some clarification (as usual) is needed:

Is the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) a pro-union entity or a neutral arbiter between parties?

The NLRB administers a federal law called the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRB has regions throughout the nation with regional directors and staff who handle most of the agency’s day-to-day business. The directors report to the full NLRB board in Washington, D.C. That board is appointed by the President of the United States.

The NLRB is the arbiter of any dispute between an employer and a union.

The NLRB board, by its nature, is a political entity and may, or may not, make neutral decisions. Under President Biden, for example, the board was very pro-union following Biden’s promise to be the most pro-union president in history. Under other presidents, it has been more pro-employer.

President Trump’s appointments have not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Senate, so it is unclear how the Board will operate under the current administration.

True. To add some additional context: To add some additional context: in 2025, over 19,000 research and academic workers have successfully formed a union with UAW. For more information about the NLRB’s role in forming our union, please visit our FAQs page.

Is the JPL Administration legally prohibited from taking any particular stand on unionization?

No. JPL has the right to have a position on unionization and has made clear that JPL is not anti-union. While JPL deeply respects the role that organized labor has played in advocating for workplace protections in our nation’s history, JPL believes that forming a union at the Lab – especially at this critical time – would restrict JPL’s ability to address the urgent challenges we are facing as a Lab.

In the email titled “Post Town Hall FAQs”, it actually only talked about unions when we were more concerned about the layoffs to come. Most of the answers contained misleading information (that we have since responded to) that suggests to us - along with their subsequent emails and their new website - that upper management opposes JPL workers forming a union. We love our work and want JPL to thrive; by forming a union, we can work together to think of creative, innovative solutions to address the rapidly changing space science environment. We believe that a union would make JPL more adept at addressing challenges because more of us would be involved in the process.

Is a union representing JPLers a possibility or a certainty?

Union representation in any workplace is always a possibility. A union must have signed authorization cards from at least 30% of a proposed bargaining unit (the jobs that would be covered by the union) before it can petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election to determine whether or not employees want union representation.

Whether or not an election is certain at JPL is unknown. We do know that the UAW is soliciting signed union authorization cards from JPLers and is interested in representing them.

We - JPL workers - are currently asking our colleagues to sign cards so we can form a union. We reached out to UAW because of their track record of success winning strong researcher contracts.

Is this website meant to be a proactive measure, anticipating the union might file for an election soon?

This website is meant to provide facts about unionization to support JPLers as they decide whether or not they want to support possible unionization at JPL.

Right now, union organizers are asking JPLers to sign authorization cards. The union has not yet filed a petition for election. Only the union knows, at this point, how many people have signed cards and if or when it may file a petition.

A union must have signed authorization cards from at least 30% of a proposed bargaining unit (the jobs that would be covered by the union) before it can petition the National Labor Relations Board for an election to determine whether employees want union representation.

A union often targets 60 or 70% before it files for an election to ensure a greater chance of winning.

Management’s answer speaks for itself.

How would layoffs affect the union organizing effort?

Only the union knows its organizing strategy after a layoff.

The union may use a layoff to try to increase the number of employees who have signed authorization cards. It may promise that having a union would prevent layoffs or mean a more transparent layoff process.

But these promises are not guaranteed. A labor contract typically gives management the exclusive authority to decide staffing levels, including any decision to lay off employees. A contract may include rules about the layoff process — for example, requiring the employer to lay off employees according to inverse seniority so that the least senior employees must be the first to go. No one knows what would be in a labor contract until (and if) one is reached.

We are heartbroken that upper management has, once again, decided to lay off hundreds of our colleagues. Many of us began to form a union because of concerns over current layoff policies and upper management’s inhumane treatment of laid off employees. It is ironic that management says that we would “use” their layoffs to increase card signers when they are clearly using the threat of further layoffs to discourage their employees from forming a union.

We have been clear that forming a union means JPL workers will have an equal voice in determining wages and benefits. What we ultimately negotiate over is up to us and could include changes to layoff policies. Our ability to win new policies depends on how many of us participate in the contract campaign.

In the hundreds of conversations we have had with colleagues about issues on lab, “inverse seniority” has not come up as an issue, and since we set our priorities for contract negotiations, it seems unlikely to us that we would bargain over it. We have, however, heard a desire for deferred retirement, increased severance pay, earlier layoff notice, and right to recall. Ultimately, we will collectively decide what to bargain over through democratic processes such as bargaining surveys, town halls, and voting on bargaining goals.

My understanding is that JPL managers would not be part of the union, but what exactly does "management" mean in this case? Does it apply to project management and leadership roles? Would a union restrict whether employees could move into or out of leadership positions or roles?

Managers, generally, are determined based on the type of work they perform. Any manager, or group supervisor, who has direct reports and participates in hiring, firing, performance evaluation, promotions, wage increases and other similar activities is generally considered a statutory supervisor and would not be in the union.

It would be unlikely that a labor contract would restrict employees from moving out of an individual contributor role and into a management role or the other way around.

If an IC is promoted to management, the IC would no longer be in the union or covered by the labor contract. The inverse is true if a manager becomes an IC, and they may have to begin paying dues or fees as a condition of employment.

However, a labor contract may restrict the amount of individual contributor work a manager is allowed to perform while the manager is in a leadership role, such as a Group Supervisor.

By law, "supervisors" are not allowed to unionize. If there are managers who meet the definition of "supervisor" under the law, they will not be included in the union. Before we set an election date, JPL workers can request to meet with upper management and agree on who is in the unit. If we disagree with upper management's definition, we can ask the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to make a neutral decision about who is or is not a manager. In that case, the NLRB will consider factors including hiring authority, disciplinary and/or promotion authority, ability to make effective recommendations for discipline/layoffs/promotions/rewards, assignment of work, direction of work, and grievance adjustments.If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact info@jplworkersunited.org.

No, forming a union would not restrict moving into or out of leadership positions or roles. Regarding the work that ICs do versus GSs: we get to decide what to negotiate over, including whether or not we would like additional policies about work that ICs can do. Based on our conversations with coworkers thus far, this has never come up as an issue that JPLers would like to prioritize, likely due to the fact that most of our Group Supervisors are there to lead the team and have their own tasks, rather than completing the same tasks as their reports.

Will JPL guarantee that eight weeks of paid parental leave will continue to be a benefit offered to employees?

No one knows what will be in a union labor contract until it is completed. JPL is not able to guarantee any benefit will remain, just as the union is not able to guarantee any benefit will remain or come to exist in a contract.

The law allows a union to trade benefits employees have today to get something it wants, such as a requirement that dues are mandatory and are withheld from paychecks just like taxes.

Because outcomes from negotiations are uncertain, JPL is not able to predict what a union would propose or what the parties would agree upon.

Note that management did not answer the question directly. By forming a union, JPL workers will be able to negotiate with management over whatever working conditions we would like to change or protect, which could include guaranteeing eight weeks of parental leave in a legally-binding contract. We - as JPL employees - get to decide what rights and benefits we would like to prioritize. Our ability to win strong benefits and protections depends on how many people participate in our contract campaign. Because we would ultimately get to vote to accept or reject a contract, it’s hard to imagine that JPL workers would choose to “trade” away popular policies like paid parental leave.

Can you share JPL management's plan to be more responsive to the employee concerns that have led to this effort?

JPL management is committed to engaging and learning from the JPL community about their concerns, and these concerns have shed light on areas of opportunity for JPL. As a key example, JPL acknowledges that communication around some of JPLers’ big concerns, like returning to on-site work, should have been better.

Right now, almost all of our focus is on “Saving JPL” — as we await a new budget and reorganize the Lab with a reduced workforce to be more efficient to support our mission.

We know we have a lot of work to do and would look forward to working with the JPL community to take JPL into the future.

While we hope that JPL management will provide greater transparency in the future, meaningful engagement requires more than acknowledgment. Declining to participate in an open town hall with JWU-UAW organizers was a missed opportunity for genuine dialogue and trust-building. True collaboration means listening to all perspectives and working alongside employees to create real, lasting solutions.

We would like to work with management on “Saving JPL” and, in fact, many of us are actively organizing to increase funding for space science. We have been meeting with elected representatives such as Rep. Judy Chu and Rep.Ted Lieu about supporting NASA funding as they set the congressional budget. We also have been working with UAW members across California to support a $23 billion bond measure that would fund science in the state. We recently met with Pasadena State Senator Sasha Renee Perez and she agreed to co-author the bond. As the people who do the work to ensure mission success, we have meaningful contributions to make JPL more efficient; by having a seat at the table, we could help ensure the Lab can navigate the challenges ahead without sacrificing work quality.

We believe that the more people who participate in “Saving JPL,” the more power we have to succeed. We hope JPL decides to partner with us rather than fight their employees’ right to form a union.

How do I vote against the union organizing? Do I just “not sign a card”?

Yes. If you do not want to unionize, the first step is to decline to sign an authorization card.

You may also consider talking to co-workers about how you feel about unionizing on non-work time in non-work areas.

A group of employees who are against unionization may also choose to organize in a more formal group to make their collective voices heard.

The most important step is to make an informed decision based on accurate information rather than assumptions or past experiences. We encourage our colleagues to take the time to speak with your coworkers about forming a union. Right now, JPLers are signing cards in support of JWU-UAW, and then we can have a vote to form our union. If you have questions about what it means to sign a card, please contact info@jplworkersunited.org.