Arizona, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming are right-to-work states, and employees in those states have the right to decide whether or not they want to join and financially support a union if a union gets into their workplace. So, if a union gets into your facility or your department, even if you never signed and never voted for the union, you’re still represented by the union and are therefore bound to any contract the union negotiates. However, in right-to-work states, employees can’t be legally required to join or financially support the union by paying union dues.

California isn’t a right-to-work state. In non-right-to-work states like California, it’s legal for a union to demand a company adopt a Union Security clause requiring all employees covered by the union contract to pay dues and/or fees to the union as a condition of employment. If employees in a bargaining unit with a Union Security clause object to paying those dues and/or fees, they legally could be fired from their jobs if they refuse to financially support the union.

Colorado is a modified right-to-work state where employees at most workplaces can’t be required to join a union or pay dues and/or fees, but the workers can override the right-to-work provisions and make their workplace an all-union shop.