right to work law

     A state with a "right-to-work" law has made it illegal to require membership in a union as a condition of employment.  This is often called a "closed shop"-- everyone in it belongs to the union. A union is an organization of workers who do the same jobs, or who are employed in the same industry.  They have formed an organization for the purpose of "collective bargaining".  Instead of asking his or her employer for a raise, or for better working conditions, a union member will take his or her grievance to the union. The union may ask the employer for better wages, better benefits (health insurance and vacation or sick time, for example), or for better working conditions. The union may complain about hazardous working conditions--chemicals that are making workers sick, for instance. The union has "clout" because it represents so many people--perhaps all of the workers in a factory, or all of the employees of a particular industry. You may have heard of the Teamsters Union (truck drivers), or the United Auto Workers.
     Many people only hear of unions when they go "on strike" . This means they refuse to go to work, after trying to get some changes made in their wages or working conditions, and getting "no" for an answer. By going on strike, the union members hope that their employer will offer to change their wages or working conditions.
     Unionizing was once considered a subversive activity. Going on strike was considered illegal, and might have been treated as a crime. Unions and collective bargaining are legal now--we all have the right to bargain collectively with our employers, and to organize for the purpose of collective bargaining. Unions have acquired clout not only with employers, but with employees. Membership in the union has become a condition for employment (getting a job) in some cases. This is why some states have enacted "right-to-work" laws. The laws are meant to make it possible to get a job without joining the union--even if everyone else belongs to the union.