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

Many labor unions constructed union halls in Chicago, in particular on the Near West Side. —Adam Harrington, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2026

He also has been endorsed by Travis County Judge Andy Brown, several local Democratic organizations and labor unions, and the Austin Chronicle. —Alex Driggars, Austin American Statesman, 4 Mar. 2026

Croke’s campaign has gotten money from a variety of sources, including trade and labor unions and businesses. —Jeremy Gorner, Chicago Tribune, 4 Mar. 2026

Multiple local labor unions and commerce groups see the data center as a potential windfall for construction workers in the region, generating a stable source of contract work that could keep some of the project’s dollars in Independence long-term. —Ilana Arougheti, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2026

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.