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Long story very short, history. Unions in the US are organized shop by shop.

You can go to a union's homepage and click "JOIN TODAY!" if you wish. It just doesn't create any obligation for your employer to care.

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That's how unions work by default everywhere else too. It's just more common for entire industries to be unionized (through momentum, not outright obligation) outside the US.

The way US system works, even when the entire industry is unionized, your union membership is generally through the "local" associated with your employer, not something independent of your current employment, with very few exceptions. That local may be part of an umbrella union that also covers the rest of your industry (or even a wide range of different industries, e.g., AFL-CIO or SEIU.)

> That's how unions work by default everywhere else too.

Not true for Norway, at least.

My employer (Irish company) states in the employment contract they only recognise one union here in Ireland. I'm not familiar with Irish (or EU) law on unions but it did surprise me they were so specific.

Edit: although I'm in tech I understand it covers everyone regardless of role

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