Merit Shop
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A merit shop company is one whose employee hiring and advancement policies are based on subjective criteria or qualifications determined by the employer, and not by any policy or practice originating from an agreement with a labor union. The term "Merit Shop" was coined by John Trimmer, who served from 1952 to 1976 as an officer of the Associated Builders and Contractors, an American trade association comprised primarily of non-union construction contractors. In common usage, "merit shop" is often synonymous with being non-union or open shop.
There are many other organizations that represent merit shop companies. For example, the Independent Electrical Contractors represents almost 3,000 open shop electrical and systems contractors in the USA. Founded in 1957, the organization represents its member companies' small business and merit shop interests at the national, state, and local levels of government.
Other merit shop-oriented associations include: the Association of Merit Shop Craftsmen and the Merit Shop Roundtable.
A definition provided in Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law (1996) defines "merit shop" as a noun meaning “open shop”.
Associated Builders and Contractors is the Primary Association for Merit Shop Construction Companies, representing 24,800 companies in 78 chapters as of December 31, 2008. Fortune magazine rated ABC as one of "the most influential organizations" in the United States.
www.abc.org
[edit] Further reading
- A. Samuel Cook, Freedom in the Workplace. Regnery Publishing (June 20, 2005)
- Lowest Responsible Bidder: A Guide to Merit Shop Construction. Executive Enterprises Publications Co (1985)
