A “right-to-work” state refers to states in the United States that have adopted laws or policies which prohibit agreements between labor unions and employers that make membership or payment of union dues or fees a condition of employment, either before or after hiring. Right-to-work laws are established to ensure that a person’s job does not depend on whether they are a member of a union or not. These laws do not mean that employees can’t be required to join a union or pay dues entirely; rather, they mean that employees cannot be compelled to join a union or pay dues as a condition for obtaining or retaining a job.
