What percentage of employee signatures is required to file for an election according to NLRB rules?

To file for an election under the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rules, at least 30% of the employees in a bargaining unit must sign authorization cards. This threshold is established to demonstrate a sufficient level of interest among employees in union representation. The 30% requirement acts as the minimum threshold that the NLRB uses to justify moving forward with a representation election. If this percentage of signatures is gathered, it indicates that a significant enough portion of the workforce desires to have a union for collective bargaining purposes.

In contrast, higher percentages, such as 50%, would be unnecessarily restrictive for initiating an election process, setting a threshold that could prevent a substantial minority's voice from being heard. Similarly, lower percentages, like 20% or even 10%, would not adequately represent the workers' interest in seeking formal election procedures through the NLRB. Thus, the 30% threshold balances the need for sufficient interest while still encouraging employees to organize and voice their collective bargaining desires effectively.