Public sector unionization rights were established at approximately the same time as private sector unionization rights.

Public sector unionization rights were established significantly later than private sector unionization rights. The National Labor Relations Act of 1935, also known as the Wagner Act, granted private sector workers the right to form unions and bargain collectively. However, it wasn't until the 1960s and 1970s that most public sector workers in the United States gained similar rights through various state laws and executive orders.