open shop

labor

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July 16, 2026

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An open shop is a workplace where employment is not dependent on membership in a labor union. This means that neither joining a union nor paying union dues is a requirement for being hired or remaining employed.12

In contrast, a union shop requires employees to join a union within a certain period after being hired, typically 30 to 90 days, to pay dues and receive union representation benefits. A closed shop, which is more restrictive, mandates that employers only hire individuals who are already members of a specific trade union.23

The Taft-Hartley Act in the United States allows individual states to enact "right-to-work" laws, which prohibit requiring union membership as a condition of employment, thus reinforcing the open shop model. Employees who benefit from union negotiations without contributing are sometimes referred to as "free riders".2

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union shop
…not join the union) or open shops (which require neither membership nor dues payment). Employees in open shops who benefit from the gains that unions achieve through collective bargaining, without sharing the expenses, are sometimes called “free riders.”
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…not join the union) or open shops (which require neither membership nor dues payment). Employees in open shops who benefit from the gains that unions achieve through collective bargaining, without sharing the expenses, are sometimes called “free riders.”
Read More