Unions - Kentucky

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

Kentucky has no substantial labor relations laws differing from the National Labor Relations Act or Labor-Management Reporting and Disclosure Act regarding unions in private sector employment.

The state does have regulations for the Office of Labor Management Relations to provide grants-in-aid to labor management organizations that include both labor and management representatives, for the purpose of improving labor management relations or improving communications with respect to subjects of mutual interest or concern to labor and management.

Public employment

Kentucky has specific collective bargaining rules for firefighters and police.

Right to work

Kentucky has a right-to-work law. As a condition of employment, employees may not be required to:

• Become or remain a member of a labor organization,
• Pay any dues, fees, assessments, or other similar charges to a labor organization,
• In lieu of these payments, pay a charity or third party any amount equivalent to the dues, fees, or assessments or other chargers required of a labor organization.

State

Contacts

National Labor Relations Board (Region 25)

Office of Labor - Management Relations & Mediation

Regulations

Kentucky Revised Statutes, Title XXVII, Chapter 336
www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/chapter.aspx?id=38883

803 Kentucky Administrative Regulations, Chapter 3 Collective Bargaining and Arbitration, 010 through 050
www.lrc.state.ky.us/kar/title803.htm

803 KAR, Chapter 6, 010 Kentucky Labor Management Matching Grant Program
www.lrc.state.ky.us/kar/803/006/010.htm

KRS Chapter 345.00 et seq., Collective Bargaining for Firefighters
www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/chapter.aspx?id=38925

KRS Chapter 078.400 through .480, County Police
www.lrc.ky.gov/Statutes/chapter.aspx?id=37431

Federal

ContactNational Labor Relations Board

Regulations29 U.S.C. §§ 151-16929 U.S.C. §401 et seq.