Because it part of the National Labor Relation Act-a federal law passed in the mid 1930s. The collective bargaining agreement covers all members of the bargaining unit whether they pay union dues or not. And yes, many union activists call non dues paying workers who are covered by the contract but refuse to join the union free riders.
Hi. No union activist here. I don’t like unions ... but citing the bullshit federal law doesn’t answer a question like - does this make any sense? is it good and right?
If I hire on at a place that has some union employees and some non-union employees, I should be able to make my own deal.
Federal law should give unions no special power. If a group of people decide to form a union, their employer should be able to bargain with them, or fire them.
If a union survives, and makes a deal with the employer, people who did not join the union should have to make their own deals.
What a lot of confused bullshit has been unleashed by these terrible federal laws.