What is a no-strike clause?

A no-strike clause is a union's contractual pledge that its members will not go on strike for the duration of the contract. No-strike clauses provide reassurance that, even if contract negotiations turn contentious, the union cannot engage its members in a work stoppage to extract concessions from an employer. While no-strike clauses are an important tool in helping to ensure peaceful labor relations, such clauses cannot deter a union from initiating a work stoppage once the contract expires. The use of no-strike clauses underscores the importance of strike avoidance as the focus of an employer's labor relations strategy.