Legal Definitions - recognition strike

A recognition strike is a type of strike where workers stop working to force their employer to recognize their union as their collective-bargaining agent. This means that the employer must negotiate with the union on behalf of the workers.

For example, if workers at a factory want to form a union and their employer refuses to recognize the union, the workers may go on a recognition strike to pressure the employer to acknowledge the union.

Recognition strikes were more common before the National Labor Relations Act was passed in 1935, which required employers to recognize NLRB-certified unions for bargaining purposes.