What is labor relations

What Is Labor Relations? A Practical Definition for Employers

If you’re searching for what is labor relations, you’re likely trying to understand how U.S. law governs the day-to-day relationship between employers, employees, and unions—especially around organizing, collective bargaining, and workplace rules. In plain terms, labor relations refers to how an organization manages employee representation issues, union activity, negotiations, and legally protected “concerted activity” in compliance with federal labor law requirements.

For employers, labor relations is not only about unions. It’s also about ensuring policies, manager conduct, investigations, and communications comply with the National Labor Relations Act—often referred to as the NLRA Act or the Wagner Act—and related laws.

For broader compliance context, see SwiftSDS’s Federal (United States) Posting Requirements page.

Labor Relations Definition: What It Covers in the Workplace

A useful labor relations definition is: the policies, practices, and legal duties that shape the employer–employee relationship where employees may act together regarding working conditions, pay, scheduling, safety, and representation.

In practice, labor relations typically includes:

• Union organizing and election campaigns (what you can and can’t say/do)
• Collective bargaining (negotiating a contract in good faith)
• Contract administration (grievances, arbitration, discipline standards)
• Unfair labor practice (ULP) avoidance (rules and manager actions that violate the NLRA)
• Protected concerted activity (employees acting together—even without a union)

SwiftSDS also maintains related compliance explainer content that can help HR teams connect labor relations to broader rights frameworks, such as 5 rights of workers.

What Does NLRA Stand For—and Why It Matters?

What does NLRA stand for? It stands for the National Labor Relations Act.

If you’re also asking what is the NLRA, the key point is this: the NLRA is the central federal law that protects most private-sector employees’ rights to:

• Organize (or not organize) a union
• Join and assist a union
• Bargain collectively through a chosen representative
• Engage in concerted activities for mutual aid or protection
• Refrain from these activities

The NLRA is administered and enforced by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). (For NLRB-related history and labor organizing context, you may also find National labour union helpful.)

The Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act Wagner Act): What It Established

Many employers see the phrases Wagner Act, labor relations act, and national labor relations act wagner act used interchangeably. The Wagner Act is the original 1935 law that created the modern framework of U.S. private-sector labor relations.

What is the National Labor Relations Act (Wagner Act) in practical terms?

The Wagner Act:

• Created the NLRB
• Declared it national policy to encourage collective bargaining
• Defined and protected employees’ organizing rights
• Prohibited certain employer conduct as unfair labor practices (ULPs)

This matters operationally because everyday HR decisions—handbook rules, discipline, confidentiality expectations, and manager messaging—can trigger NLRA issues even in non-union workplaces.

The Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 (Taft-Hartley) and Modern Labor Relations

Labor relations compliance didn’t stop in 1935. The Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 (Taft-Hartley) amended the NLRA and added restrictions on unions as well as employers.

Key employer-facing impacts include:

• Additional definitions of ULPs
• Bargaining-related rules (including certain notice and strike/lockout concepts)
• More structured boundaries around labor–management conduct

For a deeper compliance-focused overview, review SwiftSDS’s Labor management relations act of 1947.

“Labour Relations Act” vs. “Labor Relations Act” (Spelling and Jurisdiction)

You may also see labour relations act (British/Canadian spelling) used in searches. In the U.S., employers generally refer to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) or related federal/state labor statutes. In Canada and some other jurisdictions, “Labour Relations Act” can refer to different provincial or national laws.

For multi-state U.S. employers, the bigger compliance issue is understanding which topics are federal vs. state regulated (e.g., certain union-related rules are federal, while wage/hour and posting rules are often state-specific). SwiftSDS provides location-based guidance, such as:

• Alabama (AL) Posting Requirements
• Lawrence County, AL Posting Requirements
• New York, Richmond County, NY Labor Law Posting Requirements

Actionable Employer Compliance Steps for Strong Labor Relations

Below are practical steps HR and business owners can implement to reduce risk and improve labor relations outcomes.

1) Train managers on NLRA “do’s and don’ts”

Manager conduct is a frequent source of NLRA charges. Train supervisors to avoid:

• Threatening employees over organizing or group complaints
• Promising benefits to discourage union support
• Interrogating employees about union activity
• Surveillance or creating the impression of surveillance

Also train managers to recognize concerted activity: two or more employees raising workplace concerns together (or one employee speaking on behalf of others).

2) Review handbook policies for NLRA sensitivity

Common policy areas that can become problematic if written too broadly:

• Confidentiality rules (especially about wages or investigations)
• Social media policies
• “Civility” and non-disparagement policies
• Solicitation/distribution rules
• Recording and camera policies

A best practice is to document the legitimate business reason (e.g., safety, privacy, trade secrets) and avoid blanket restrictions that could chill protected activity.

3) Maintain “good faith” bargaining practices (if unionized)

If employees are represented by a union, the NLRA requires bargaining in good faith over wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. Action items:

• Establish a bargaining calendar and keep minutes
• Prepare proposals supported by business rationale
• Align operational changes with bargaining obligations (and consult counsel when needed)

If you need related state-level agreement considerations (separate from NLRA bargaining), see Labor and employment agreements.

4) Implement a consistent process for workplace disputes

Labor relations issues often escalate through inconsistent discipline or unclear complaint handling. Create a process that includes:

• Prompt intake and documentation
• Non-retaliation reminders
• Consistent investigations
• Clear closure communications and corrective action tracking

For definitions and state variations around disputes, SwiftSDS also covers Labor dispute.

5) Meet workplace posting requirements (often overlooked)

Labor law postings are a simple but high-impact compliance step. While the NLRA notice requirement can depend on employer type and contracting status, wage/hour posters are broadly applicable and frequently required.

For example, many employers must post the federal minimum wage/FLSA notice:

• Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act
  Spanish version:
• Derechos de los Trabajadores Bajo la Ley de Normas Justas de Trabajo (FLSA)

And for NLRA-specific posting guidance, see Employee rights under nlra poster.

How Labor Relations Intersects with Other Federal HR Compliance Areas

Even though labor relations is NLRA-centered, it overlaps with other federal compliance responsibilities that HR teams manage:

• Equal employment opportunity principles (workplace fairness and protected characteristics): as it pertains to employment opportunity the eeo strives to
• Disability accommodation documentation and HR processes: ada hr and ada forms for employers
• Worker classification and leave questions that affect employee relations: are contractors eligible for fmla

Treating labor relations as part of a broader compliance system helps prevent “silo” decisions that create legal exposure.

FAQ: Labor Relations and the NLRA

What is the national labor relations act?

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) is the primary federal law governing private-sector labor relations. It protects employees’ rights to organize, bargain collectively, and engage in protected concerted activity, and it restricts certain employer and union conduct through unfair labor practice rules.

What is the NLRA, and who enforces it?

What is the NLRA? It’s the National Labor Relations Act. The NLRB enforces it by investigating charges, conducting union elections, and litigating certain cases through administrative processes.

Is labor relations only relevant if we have a union?

No. Many NLRA protections apply even in non-union workplaces, particularly around employees acting together about pay, scheduling, safety, and other working conditions. That’s why manager training and policy language matter for virtually all private employers.

Next step for SwiftSDS users: confirm your required postings and jurisdiction rules using the Federal (United States) Posting Requirements hub and your state/county page, then align manager training and handbook language with NLRA expectations.