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

Rerum upheld labor unions as a proper exercise of workers’ natural rights to dignity and authentic freedom—and emphasized the obligation of the state to protect their rights and interests. —Time, 29 May 2025

Trump also pardoned New York labor union leader James Callahan, former Connecticut Gov. John Rowland, former congressman Michael Grimm and Army Lt. Mark Bradshaw. —Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 29 May 2025

By comparison, recent city labor union raises ranged from 2% to 5%. —Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 14 May 2025

During the last couple years, some VFX practitioners have taken steps to join labor union IATSE, including in-house VFX workers at Marvel and Walt Disney Pictures. —Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 13 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for labor union

• antiunion
• communion
• disunion
• nonunion

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.