Union Authorization Cards: What They Are and How They Are Collected
"Union card" can mean two different things. After a union is in place, it can mean the membership card a member carries. During an organizing campaign, it means an authorization card: a short form a worker signs to say they want a union to represent them. This post covers authorization cards, the ones organizers collect, often one conversation at a time on workers' doorsteps.
It explains what a card is, how the cards are used under federal labor law, the rules around signatures and confidentiality, and how organizing committees run the house visits that collect them. It covers private-sector workers under federal law, and it is general information, not legal advice. For the field work behind any door-to-door program, see canvassing basics, start to finish.
What a union authorization card is
An authorization card is a signed statement that the worker wants a particular union to represent them in collective bargaining, which means negotiating pay and working conditions with the employer as a group. The National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency that runs union elections for most private-sector workplaces, describes the cards as designating the union as the signers' agent for collective bargaining.
A card usually includes the worker's name, the employer, the date, the worker's contact details and the signature, under a short sentence authorizing the union. The date matters: a card whose signing date cannot be established is not counted.
How the cards are used
To ask for an election
To ask the NLRB for a union election, the union has to show that at least 30 percent of the workers in the proposed group support it. This is called the showing of interest, and signed authorization cards are the usual way to show it. If the showing is enough, the NLRB arranges a secret-ballot election.
Many committees aim well above the minimum before they file, since some people who sign early change their minds or leave the job before the vote.
To ask for voluntary recognition
Federal law also gives workers a second path. If a majority of the workers sign cards, the union can ask the employer to recognize it without an election, and the employer may agree. This is often called card check.
The Cemex decision
In 2023, the NLRB decided a case called Cemex, which said that once a union shows majority support and asks for recognition, the employer must either recognize it or promptly file for an election itself, and that serious unfair labor practices before the vote can lead to an order to bargain. Cemex is still Board law, but it is being challenged: a federal appeals court rejected it in 2026, the Supreme Court has been asked to review it, and the NLRB's own General Counsel has announced an intent to challenge it. Check its current status with your union or a labor lawyer before you rely on it.
Signatures, confidentiality and timing
- Paper or electronic. The NLRB accepts electronic signatures for a showing of interest when they meet its requirements, which include the signer's name, contact details, the date, the employer's name and the authorization language, plus a confirmation sent to each signer. Your union will tell you which method it uses.
- The employer does not see the cards. The showing of interest is not given to the employer. The NLRB tells the parties only whether the showing is sufficient.
- Dates matter. There is no fixed shelf life for a card, but the signing date has to be clear, and the age of the cards can matter in some situations. Keep the date clear on every card.
Who the federal rules cover
The National Labor Relations Act covers most private-sector employers. It does not cover federal, state or local government employers. Public employees organize under their own laws: federal employees under a separate federal statute, and state and local employees under the law of their state, which varies widely. Postal Service workers are an exception and fall under the NLRB. If you organize public-sector workers, check your state's public employment rules.
House visits: collecting cards door to door
Many organizing campaigns collect cards through house visits, where members of the organizing committee talk with coworkers at home, away from the workplace. The approach is similar to any other door-to-door program, with a few differences.
- The list is sensitive. A list of workers and their home addresses is valuable and private. Limit who can see it, and keep it out of shared spreadsheets.
- The conversation matters more than the count. A card signed after a real conversation about the worker's own concerns holds up better than one signed to end the visit.
- Follow-up is the work. Most workers need more than one conversation. Record what each person said and what they are worried about, so the next visit picks up where the last one ended.
- Visits are voluntary. If someone does not want to talk, thank them, leave, and note it so nobody else knocks on that door again unprompted.
Our posts on training new canvassers in their first week and safety tips for door-to-door canvassers apply to house visits as well.
Running house visits in Beacon
Beacon does not collect signatures. Cards are signed on paper or through the union's own electronic signature system. What Beacon handles is the field work around them.
- Import the organizing committee's list from a spreadsheet and draw each organizer's area on the map.
- Assign each area to one or more organizers, who see their walk list on their phone, with or without signal.
- Record the result of each visit, with notes on what the worker said, and add a survey question such as "Signed a card: yes or no" so the committee can see where the campaign stands.
- Give each person a role (owner, admin, manager or canvasser), so organizers see their own lists and the committee leads see the whole campaign.
Our page on Beacon for labor unions covers how organizing campaigns and member outreach programs use it.
Common questions
What is a union card?
During an organizing campaign, a union card is an authorization card: a signed statement that a worker wants a union to represent them in collective bargaining. After a union is established, the term can also mean a member's membership card.
How many cards does a union need?
To ask the NLRB for an election, cards or a petition from at least 30 percent of the workers in the proposed group. To ask the employer for voluntary recognition, a majority. Many committees aim well above the minimum before they file.
Will my employer see my card?
No. The showing of interest is not given to the employer, and the NLRB tells the parties only whether it is sufficient.
Can a union card be signed online?
Yes, if the electronic signature meets the NLRB's requirements, which include the signer's name and contact details, the date, the employer's name and a confirmation sent to the signer.
Do these rules apply to public employees?
No. Federal labor law covers most private-sector workers. Government employees organize under federal law for federal workers and under state law for state and local workers, and the rules vary by state.
Plan the visits before the cards
Map the workplace, divide the list into areas the committee can cover, and record every conversation. Try Beacon free for 14 days and set up your first house visit program.
