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

Harris on Monday also spent about 20 minutes touring a labor union training facility in Warren where apprentices learn a range of skills such as glass fitting and industrial painting. —Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, 29 Oct. 2024

Majority of labor union members align with the Democratic Party In the 2020 presidential election, 60% of voters represented by a union cast their ballot for Biden, according to research from the Center for American Progress. —Sara Chernikoff, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024

This year, voters should replace another member who supported that deal, which put the interests of a local developer and labor unions ahead of the city and its residents. —East Bay Times Editorial, The Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2024

Beyond labor unions, economists like Daron Acemoglu, a prominent professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, have been sounding alarm bells about how automation and artificial intelligence may disrupt labor markets and exacerbate income inequality. —James Broughel, Forbes, 5 Oct. 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.