open shop

noun

1. a factory, office, or other business establishment in which a union, chosen by a majority of the employees, acts as representative of all the employees in making agreements with the employer, but in which union membership is not a condition of employment.

open shop

noun

1. an establishment in which persons are hired and employed irrespective of their membership or nonmembership of a trade union Compare closed shop union shop

open shop

1. A business that employs both unionized and nonunionized labor.

Other Words From

• open-shop adjective
• anti-open-shop noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of open shop¹

First recorded in 1895–1900

Example Sentences

There are a lot of unions whose workers are increasingly in competition with small, open-shop firms.

From The Daily Beast

In factory number one the owner is a hard-driving business man, an active spirit in the so-called "open-shop" campaign.

From Project Gutenberg

With the depression the open-shop movement took on a greater vigor.

From Project Gutenberg

It was in this discussion that the question of the closed shop and the open shop came before the conference.

From Project Gutenberg

Prior to these occurrences and for some time thereafter, the club was addressed by emissaries of the open shop interests.

From Project Gutenberg

With these preparations the open shop forces were ready to go to still greater lengths to uphold "law and order!"

From Project Gutenberg