This glossary is here to make the rest of the site easier to read. The goal is not legal perfection in miniature. It is to give workers plain-language handles for the terms that come up most often.
Protected concerted activity
Workers acting together about workplace conditions, or preparing to do so. This matters because collective action often has different protection than isolated complaint.
Majority structure
More than loud agreement. It means durable support across the actual workplace map, not just one cluster of friends or one active chat.
Recognition
The point where a union is acknowledged through voluntary recognition or a formal process. Recognition is not the same as having a contract.
First contract
The bargaining phase after recognition or certification. This is where enforceable gains are fought over and where employer delay often becomes a major issue.
Unit
The group of workers covered by a particular organizing or bargaining structure. Figuring out who is in or out can be contested.
Misclassification
When workers are treated as contractors or vendors in ways that may not match the reality of control and supervision.
Supervisor exclusion
Some workers with real supervisory authority may be in a different legal lane from non-supervisory coworkers, even when titles are confusing.
Mapping
Understanding who works where, who talks to whom, what issues are shared, and where informal leadership actually sits.
Escalation
Moving from private comparison toward broader action. Good escalation is structured. Bad escalation outruns the actual trust and support in the workplace.