"Right to work"... what does this mean?

Nurses General Nursing

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What does a "right to work " state mean? And the other term, the opposite of this one.... I see the term used here alot, but am not sure what it means?

Whoa, too wierd, I cant get that wierd green smiley face off of my post!!! What gives?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Generally, 'at will' and 'right to work' I believe are either synonyms themselves, or those situations occur in hand in hand in most States that adopt them.

In any case, when many people say 'right to work', they mean 'at will'. That's why I gave both definitions.

It would be difficult to allow 'at will' employment in a closed shop State. The very purpose of a union prevents the concept of 'at will'.

To answer the other question: if you are in a 'closed shop', then you are NOT in a right to work State. The definition of right to work is the right to NOT join a union within your workplace.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
Whoa, too wierd, I cant get that wierd green smiley face off of my post!!! What gives?
It is probably because there's a colon ( : ) next to the 'D' letter. When the colon and the capital 'D' come together, it creates a green smilie.
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It is probably because there's a colon ( : ) next to the 'D' letter. When the colon and the capital 'D' come together, it creates a green smilie.
Ahhh!
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Specializes in Critical Care.

Right to work site w/ map of which States are right to work.

Right-to-work law - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

~faith,

Timothy.

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You are correct in your meaning of the term "right to work", but are still wrong when it comes to "at will". The meaning of "at will" has nothing to do with unions at all.It simply means you can be fired or quit for any cause.The two terms are not synonyms. Correct me if Im wrong. Anyone?

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Specializes in Critical Care.
You are correct in your meaning of the term "right to work", but are still wrong when it comes to "at will". The meaning of "at will" has nothing to do with unions at all.It simply means you can be fired or quit for any cause.The two terms are not synonyms. Correct me if Im wrong. Anyone?

I think that many people USE the terms as synonyms.

So, I defined both the real definition of 'right to work' and I included the definition of 'at will' because many people take the term to mean that, as well.

At will is a different concept then right to work. However, those two concepts tend to go hand in hand since unions will normally contract conditions that prevent at will: grievance processes and the like.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Thanks for the link! I guess Indiana is a closed shop but an at will state!

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Specializes in Tele, Infectious Disease, OHN.

I work in Texas, and a few years ago my employer stopped saying that Texas was a "right to work" state and that according to their legal department we were all "at will" employees. The send this out in writing once a year or so to remind us. Basically we can quit or they can fire us as long as they don't violate any amendments... IMHO it protects the employer much more than the employee.

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Right to work = Right to have 3 jobs to pay your bills

Right to work = Right to work major holidays without getting holiday pay

Right to work = Right to take holidays off IF you use your SICK TIME

Should be called "Right to Struggle to pay your Mortgage and Right to Starve to death state"......

Unions, weather we like them or not do drive up wages....it is really pathetic that some states in this country have nurses earning $10-$20 more than others simply b/c they are NOT "Right to work"...believe me when i tell you that there is still a HUGE nursing shortage in these low salary states but the employers are getting away with enslaving nurses.... time to take a stand and advocate for those states to get rid of "right to work"......

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Specializes in Critical Care.
time to take a stand and advocate for those states to get rid of "right to work"......

You are welcome to take a stand and advocate that all you wish. However, that would be quite Don Quixote. This is settled law and few States will or could, due to the constituent party powers of their States, consider changing their status, either way.

Each way has benefits that are tailored to the areas that have adopted them.

There are advantages to unions. But, there are also advantages to non-unions.

It does no good to argue that 'right to work' is some big business conspiracy. Many employees, myself included, like the freedom that not being in a union provides. That doesn't make unions bad. It doesn't make non-unions bad.

It's a preference and that preference is likely well-represented within the populations of the States that have opted the way that they have, either way.

In any case, from the wikipedia link I posted earlier:"Prior to the passage of the Taft-Hartley Act by Congress over President Harry S. Truman's veto in 1947, unions and employers covered by the National Labor Relations Act could lawfully agree to a "closed shop."

The original law that created right to work survived a veto. Tell me, where in this nation today would you think that a change to such laws could override a veto, today? We are much more polarized on such issues today.

~faith,

Timothy.

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Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Virginia is 'at will.'

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