To start a representative from each of the company’s departments must form a committee to support the workers. Once the committee is confident that the majority of their co-workers support the idea of being unionized, they sign cards (or a petition) stating that they want to belong to a union. After the cards have been signed, the organizing committee will file a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), a branch of the Department of Labor, requesting an election. The NLRB will oversee a secret ballot election where the workers will have an opportunity to democratically decide if they want to be in a union. If the majority of the workers vote for the union, then the process of negotiating a collective bargaining agreement with their employer begins.