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

Industry labor unions have urged their members to email lawmakers to show their support. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Apr. 2025

By Yue Stella Yu | CalMatters After years of tussling with gig companies, California’s labor unions want to once again expand workers’ rights — this time by allowing ride-hailing drivers to unionize. —Calmatters, Oc Register, 10 Apr. 2025

To opt-in, employees must sign an agreement waiving their rights to any claims against the government, including those that might be brought in the future by a third party, such as a labor union. —Andrea Hsu, NPR, 8 Apr. 2025

Jeffrey Buddle is the president of the Professional Fire Fighters of Maryland, the labor union representing professional firefighters and emergency medical workers in Maryland. —Jeffrey Buddle, Baltimore Sun, 2 Apr. 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.