labor union

noun

Updated on: 23 May 2018

Definition of labor union

: 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

See labor union defined for English-language learners

See labor union defined for kids

Recent Examples of labor union from the Web

With independent labor union activity banned, workers struggle to agree on demands and the tactics to achieve them.

— asa fitch, WSJ, "Labor Strikes and Worker Protests Erupt Across Iran: ‘This is Slavery’," 6 May 2018
Neighborhoods like NoDa and McCrorey Heights, for instance, were centers of activity for labor unions and the Civil Rights Movement.

— courtney devores, charlotteobserver, "Take a stroll through Charlotte’s history and get a peek at our future via City Walks | Charlotte Observer," 3 May 2018
Police blocked roads leading to the square but allowed small groups of labor union representatives to lay wreaths and flowers at monuments there.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Workers, activists mark May Day with defiant rallies," 1 May 2018
The bill, backed by labor unions and consumer groups, is certain to rouse fierce opposition from physicians and hospitals, setting the stage for a brawl between some of the Capitol's top lobbying heavyweights.

— melanie mason, latimes.com, "An ambitious California bill would put the state in charge of controlling prices in the commercial healthcare market," 9 Apr. 2018
Campaign finance records show that a pro-Saldaña committee run by the San Diego Working Families Council — a consortium of labor unions — received the contribution from the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 135 on Wednesday.

— joshua stewart, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Mickey Kasparian's labor union gives $150k to help Lori Saldaña’s supervisor run," 3 May 2018
The coalition of labor unions, a number of which left the party in protest of its decision, and progressive activist groups broke its alliance with Cuomo and decided to endorse Nixon.

— veronica stracqualursi, CNN, "Cuomo leads Nixon by double digits in New York governor's race," 2 May 2018
Thousands of labor union members rallied in downtown Seoul for a higher minimum wage and other demands.

— Fox News, "Workers, activists mark May Day with defiant rallies," 1 May 2018
If the Labor Department upholds the complaints, the labor union estimates tens of thousands of current and former GDIT employees throughout the country could recover more than $100 million in back wages since 2013.

— rebekah l. sanders, azcentral, "Phoenix call center workers may have been underpaid millions of dollars, union contends," 1 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'labor union.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of labor union

1849

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Financial Definition of LABOR UNION

labor union

noun

What It Is

A labor union is an organization that advocates for workers' rights and benefits through collective bargaining.

How It Works

Labor unions represent workers in both the public and private sector. Individual labor unions represent workers in specific industries and function in an intermediary capacity between employers and employees. Unions negotiate directly with employers on employees' behalf with regard to compensation, conditions and working hours.

Workers employed by transportation, shipping and manufacturing companies typically maintain contracts with labor unions. The unions agree to engage employers in collective bargaining in return for union dues withheld from payroll. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters and United Steel Workers are two prominent labor unions in the United States.

Why It Matters

Labor unions protect workers from exploitation and ensure fairness of pay as well as safe, reasonable working conditions. Many economists argue that labor unions have a distortive effect on the labor market that results in decreased efficiency.

Source: Investing Answers

LABOR UNION Defined for English Language Learners

labor union

noun

Definition of labor union for English Language Learners

: an organization of workers formed to protect the rights and interests of its members

LABOR UNION Defined for Kids

labor union

noun

Definition of labor union for Students

: an organization of workers formed to help them get better pay and working conditions

Law Dictionary

labor union

noun

legal Definition of labor union

: 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.