A closed shop is a type of union security agreement that links employment to union membership. This lesson explains how closed shops differ from related workplace arrangements, why their legality varies internationally, and how courts and laws in Europe and the United Kingdom have addressed them.
A pre-entry closed shop, often called simply a closed shop, is an agreement under which an employer hires only people who are already union members. Employees must remain union members to keep their jobs.
All flashcards
Pre-entry closed shop
An arrangement requiring union membership before hiring and continued membership to remain employed.
Union shop
An arrangement allowing employees to be hired before joining, but requiring non-members to join afterward.
Open shop
An arrangement that does not require union membership for hiring or continued employment.
Exclusive hiring hall
A system that dispatches workers to available jobs under eligibility and dispatch standards.
Adverse action under Australia's Fair Work Act
Prohibited workplace action that includes discrimination based on union or non-union membership status.
Quiz questions
How do International Labour Organization covenants address the legality of closed-shop provisions?Answer: They leave the decision to individual nations.
What did the European Court of Human Rights decide in Sørensen & Rasmussen v. Denmark?Answer: Requiring union membership to obtain employment violated Article 11.
What did Young, James and Webster v. United Kingdom hold about dismissals under a closed-shop agreement?Answer: Dismissing employees for refusing to join a union breached Article 11, although membership was not required when they were hired.
Which change followed the Employment Act 1990 in the United Kingdom?Answer: All forms of closed shop became illegal.
How may certain Canadian employees who object to union membership meet the fee obligation described?Answer: Religious and conscientious objectors may pay an equivalent amount to a registered charity.
Based on the Wikipedia article Closed shop, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.