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Right-to-Work Laws
Practical Law Glossary Item 7-508-5019 (Approx. 4 pages)
Glossary
Right-to-Work Laws
Statutes in various states that prohibit unions and employers from agreeing in collective bargaining to condition an employee's continued employment on either:
- Joining and maintaining membership in a union.
- Paying union dues.
- Paying union fees.
Section 14(b) of the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 (29 U.S.C. §§ 141 to 197), which amended the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), authorizes states to enact right-to-work laws to bar:
- Union shops where employees must join and maintain union membership to keep their jobs.
- Agency shops where employees must pay fees to a union to keep their jobs.
The states that have enacted these laws are commonly referred to as right-to-work states. Right-to-work laws apply only to employees covered by the NLRA.
For more information, see Practice Notes: