industrial union
noun
: a labor union open to workers in an industry irrespective of their occupation or craft compare craft union
Examples of industrial union in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The German Model: IG Metall and Volkswagen A recent agreement between Volkswagen AG and IG Metall, one of the world’s largest industrial unions, offers a roadmap for how labor organizations might not only adapt, but also influence the transformation.
—
Michelle Mbekeani, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Since the April 2023 runoff, Johnson’s labor fundraising has diversified to feature prominent support from more moderate trade and industrial unions, according to an analysis of his latest batch of state campaign finance records.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2024
Europe’s union-friendly model In Europe, Volkswagen workers unionize through IG Metall, Europe’s largest industrial union representing 2.2 million workers, and its works council.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 26 Mar. 2024
For its part, the four-day work week movement has had a few landmark wins in recent months—German IG Metall, which is Europe’s largest industrial union, managed to negotiate standard working hours to 32 a week, roughly panning out to four days.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 15 Feb. 2024
Only weeks after labor leader Shawn Fain threatened to raise working conditions at Tesla with the help of his United Auto Workers, Sweden’s own industrial union IF Metall is bringing the company’s operations to a complete standstill in the Scandinavian country.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune Europe, 24 Nov. 2023
United Steelworkers has long been among the most progressive industrial unions, going back to its lobbying efforts in support of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
—Clay Risen, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023
Another reason, Skocpol told me, may be that the UAW has more African American members than other industrial unions.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 19 Sep. 2023
Still, there's a certain irony in the fact that about a quarter of the 400,000 current members of the Union of Autoworkers–the archetypal industrial union — work at universities.
—Samuel Goldman, The Week, 29 Apr. 2022
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Michelle Mbekeani, Forbes.com, 29 June 2025
Since the April 2023 runoff, Johnson’s labor fundraising has diversified to feature prominent support from more moderate trade and industrial unions, according to an analysis of his latest batch of state campaign finance records.
—A.d. Quig, Chicago Tribune, 21 July 2024
Europe’s union-friendly model In Europe, Volkswagen workers unionize through IG Metall, Europe’s largest industrial union representing 2.2 million workers, and its works council.
—Byryan Hogg, Fortune Europe, 26 Mar. 2024
For its part, the four-day work week movement has had a few landmark wins in recent months—German IG Metall, which is Europe’s largest industrial union, managed to negotiate standard working hours to 32 a week, roughly panning out to four days.
—Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 15 Feb. 2024
Only weeks after labor leader Shawn Fain threatened to raise working conditions at Tesla with the help of his United Auto Workers, Sweden’s own industrial union IF Metall is bringing the company’s operations to a complete standstill in the Scandinavian country.
—Bychristiaan Hetzner, Fortune Europe, 24 Nov. 2023
United Steelworkers has long been among the most progressive industrial unions, going back to its lobbying efforts in support of the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
—Clay Risen, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2023
Another reason, Skocpol told me, may be that the UAW has more African American members than other industrial unions.
—Timothy Noah, The New Republic, 19 Sep. 2023
Still, there's a certain irony in the fact that about a quarter of the 400,000 current members of the Union of Autoworkers–the archetypal industrial union — work at universities.
—Samuel Goldman, The Week, 29 Apr. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Industrial union.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/industrial%20union. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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