labor union

noun

: an organization of workers formed for the purpose of advancing its members' interests in respect to wages, benefits, and working conditions

members of a labor union with job protection under a collective bargaining agreement with the employer

—Seth Sandronsky

Examples of labor union in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

These moments were not radical signs of social change, but helped to birth a movement of collective action that would drive the rest of the 19th century through labor unions, social reforms, and women’s suffrage. —Elizabeth M. Reese / Made By History, TIME, 26 Nov. 2024

Flashback: Frey initially supported the idea, even appearing publicly this year with the labor unions and worker rights groups that champion it. —Kyle Stokes, Axios, 21 Nov. 2024

The district spans areas of North Oakland, including the Emeryville border, Rockridge and Temescal. Unger, a progressive champion of the city’s dominant labor unions, had been seen all election season as the likely successor to left-leaning Councilmember Dan Kalb. —Shomik Mukherjee, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024

The last time a South Korean president declared martial law was in 1980, during a nationwide uprising led by students and labor unions. —Jessie Yeung, CNN, 3 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

labor union

noun

: an organization of workers formed to protect the rights and advance the interests of its members concerning wages, benefits, and working conditions

Legal Definition

labor union

noun

: a labor organization usually consisting of workers of the same trade that is formed for the purpose of advancing its members' interests (as through collective bargaining) in respect to wages, benefits, and working conditions see also craft union, bargaining unit

Note: Labor unions and employers are subject to the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA or Wagner Act), as amended by the Labor Management Relations (Taft-Hartley) Act and the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure (Landrum-Griffin) Act. The NLRA authorized the establishment of the National Labor Relations Board, the federal agency which administers the provisions of the Act.