Final answer:
Employees are not required to join or contribute financially to a union under 'right-to-work' laws. Company unions, which do not charge fees, also exist but have less influence. Union membership has declined significantly in the U.S. as the economy shifted and employers discouraged unionization.
Step-by-step explanation:
An employee is not required to join or financially contribute to a union under a 'right-to-work' law. These laws allow states to decide whether employees can be mandated to join a union as a condition of employment. In this scenario, workers benefit from the collective bargaining efforts of the union without the obligation to pay dues. Some companies have established company unions that address workers' concerns without charging membership fees, but these often lack the power and influence of independent unions.
Moreover, these company unions can be used to undermine actual unions by negotiating only with the representatives of the company-controlled union, thus weakening the position of independent unions. As union membership requirements vary across states and sectors, employees at some non-union workplaces do not have to join a union, nor do they have to contribute financially to one. It is also worth noting that in the United States, a significant drop in union membership has occurred over the years as the economy shifted from manufacturing to service industries, and as employers dissuaded unionization.