Correct Answer: the practice of employing only union members
in labor relations, the term "closed shop" refers to a workplace or employment arrangement in which hiring is restricted solely to union members. under a closed shop agreement, an employer agrees to hire—and keep employed—only those workers who are members of the labor union. this means that to gain employment in such places, an individual must be a member of the relevant union prior to or at the time of hiring.
the rationale behind a closed shop is to strengthen the bargaining power of the union by ensuring that all workers contribute to and benefit from the union's negotiations with employers. it also aims to prevent any labor-management conflicts that might arise from non-union workers being employed alongside union members.
however, closed shops were made illegal in the united states under the taft-hartley act of 1947. this legislation was passed in response to concerns about the fairness and freedom of workers to choose whether to join a union. the act significantly amended the national labor relations act (nlra) and introduced several restrictions on labor unions. key provisions included the prohibition of closed shops, the outlawing of secondary boycotts (where a union boycotts a company to pressure it to stop doing business with another company involved in a labor dispute), and jurisdictional strikes (disputes between different unions over the right to work on particular jobs).
furthermore, the taft-hartley act allowed states to pass right-to-work laws. these laws make it illegal to require union membership as a condition of employment, further restricting the power and influence of unions in the workplace. right-to-work laws are intended to provide workers with the freedom to choose whether or not to join or support a union, but they can also weaken unions financially and reduce their negotiating power with employers.
although the closed shop itself is illegal in the u.s., variations like the "union shop" and "agency shop" still exist. in a union shop, an employee doesn't have to be a member of the union to be hired, but must join the union within a certain period after starting employment. in an agency shop, employees must pay union dues whether they join the union or not, though full union membership is not compulsory. these types of arrangements are still subject to state laws, including right-to-work laws, which can limit their application.
|