What is a closed shop in terms of union membership?

A closed shop refers to a specific type of labor agreement where only a single union is recognized by management to represent its workers. This means that management has entered into an arrangement whereby all employees working in that establishment must be members of this particular union as a condition of employment. The union effectively has exclusive rights to negotiate on behalf of the employees it represents, ensuring that all workers are aligned under the same union's policies and objectives.

This arrangement promotes solidarity among workers and can strengthen the union's negotiating power with the employer, as it allows them to advocate for collective bargaining agreements that apply uniformly to all union members. Understanding this concept is crucial for grasping how labor relations function within certain industries and how unions operate within the framework of collective agreements with employers.