Union Shop = Union Power.

Establishing a Union Shop is one of our key non-economic bargaining priorities. Why?

The kind of shop we operate in is a matter of Union Security, which we began negotiating in March 2026 as soon as we started negotiating non-economic articles. (Follow those negotiations here!)

A Union Shop means that all workers become dues-paying members of our union within some time of beginning their position, as a condition of employment. In contrast, the Open Shop Northwestern is proposing means workers are not required to pay dues or join our union, while potentially still benefiting from our hard-won contract. 

Some key points to remember:

• Across the country, workers in Open Shop unions consistently have lower wages and weaker protections than those in Union Shop unions. 

• We decide how dues will be spent. Typical uses include contract enforcement (e.g., arbitration), costs for hiring staff, office space, materials or food and drink for union events, and funding any sort of work stoppage like a strike. 

• Every other union on campus at Northwestern has Union Shop. 

Open Shop leaves us divided, and we know that united we win, divided we beg. Union Shop means we're all in this together. It means we fight shoulder-to-shoulder to improve conditions for all. 

Establishing Union Shop is critical to every other fight that will take place during negotiations.