---
kind: "section"
citation: "29 U.S.C. § 157"
title: "29"
title_heading: "Labor"
number: "157"
heading: "Right of employees as to organization, collective bargaining, etc."
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/29/157"
units:
  - "Chapter 7 — Labor-Management Relations"
  - "Subchapter II — National Labor Relations"
---

# §157. Right of employees as to organization, collective bargaining, etc.


[Employees](/usc/29/152.md?p=3) shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist [labor organizations](/usc/29/152.md?p=5), to bargain collectively through [representatives](/usc/29/152.md?p=4) of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, and shall also have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities except to the extent that such right may be affected by an agreement requiring membership in a [labor organization](/usc/29/152.md?p=5) as a condition of employment as authorized in [section 158(a)(3) of this title](/usc/29/158.md?p=a-3).


## Source credit

(July 5, 1935, ch. 372, § 7, 49 Stat. 452; June 23, 1947, ch. 120, title I, § 101, 61 Stat. 140.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1947—Act June 23, 1947, restated rights of employees to bargain collectively and inserted provision that they have right to refrain from joining in concerted activities with their fellow employees.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1947 Amendment

For effective date of amendment by act June 23, 1947, see section 104 of act June 23, 1947, set out as a note under section 151 of this title.