Unions and employee associations in Puerto Rico: who's who

Union and association are not the same thing

In Puerto Rico all three words get used almost interchangeably, but they do different things and it is worth knowing which one applies to you before signing anything.

A certified union negotiates a collective bargaining agreement with the employer: pay, leave, shifts, discipline. To do that it has to be certified as the exclusive representative of an appropriate bargaining unit, and that certification comes from a public agency, not from the organization itself.

A professional association groups workers in the same field and offers services (legal representation, training, discounts, insurance) but does not necessarily negotiate your contract. Several of the best-known organizations on the Island are of this type, and that does not make them less useful: they do something else.

And there is a third group that is neither: savings and benefits institutions for public employees. AEELA is the classic example and the one most often mistaken for a union.

Which one applies to you, by where you work

The starting point is not which organization you like, but who pays you. Each sector sits under a different law, with a different body resolving disputes. Each line below has its own full guide on MyPRjobs, linked at the end of this page.

• You work for a federal agency (VA, Social Security, Bureau of Prisons, National Guard): federal labor relations law applies, the body is the FLRA and the most common union is AFGE.
• You work for a Puerto Rico central government agency: Act 45 of 1998 applies, the body is CASP and the largest union is SPU/AFSCME Council 95.
• You are a state police officer: you do not bargain under Act 45. Associations such as APO, APUL and the SPP represent you, and disciplinary appeals go to CIPA.
• You are a public-system teacher: the sector has its own organizations, the Asociación de Maestros and the Federación de Maestros.
• You are a public employee or government retiree looking for savings, loans or insurance: that is AEELA, and it is not a union.
• You work in the private sector: private-sector labor relations law applies, none of the above.

What to ask before you join

Joining costs money every month and is sometimes deducted straight from payroll, so treat it like any other contract. These seven questions prevent nearly every problem, whatever your sector.

• Is it a union certified as exclusive representative of my unit, or a service association? Both are legitimate, but they do different things.
• What are the dues, how often are they charged, and how are they deducted?
• How do I cancel membership, and during what windows?
• If it offers legal assistance: exactly which case types are covered, is there an hour limit, and who are the attorneys?
• Can I see the current collective agreement or the bylaws before signing?
• Who is the leadership, when were the last elections, and where are the financial statements published?
• Do the website, phone number and address match what appears in the public corporate registry?