labor union

noun

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

Examples of labor union in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

His decision to self-fund his bid helped him gain support from labor unions and other Democratic-allied groups that can now devote money try to keep and expand Democratic majorities in the state House and Senate. — Rick Pearson, chicagotribune.com, "Rauner, Pritzker spent more than $100 per vote to win Illinois governor primaries," 17 Apr. 2018 The head of the TUC, an umbrella organization for labor unions, put the blame squarely at May’s door, saying her refusal to rule out that Britain would not leave the EU without a deal on trade relations has put thousands of jobs in jeopardy. — Danica Kirka, The Seattle Times, "Honda to shut plant in Brexit-shaken Britain," 20 Feb. 2019 If the Democrats flip the House, Senate or both, the deal could face new obstacles with Democratic lawmakers expected to push for provisions more favorable to labor unions, political analysts say. — Chester Dawson, WSJ, "From Farms to Pharma, What the Midterms Mean for Business," 4 Nov. 2018 The regional chapters of Spain's two leading labor unions, along with other civil society groups, supported the protest despite the complaints from some members who don't want secession for Catalonia. — Joseph Wilson, chicagotribune.com, "Huge rally in Barcelona to demand jailed separatists go free," 15 Apr. 2018 Protesters from labor unions, the Democratic Party and immigrant rights organizations planned to rally along with some state and local elected officials outside the hotel where Sessions will speak. — Time, "Trump Administration Puts Pressure on 'Sanctuary State' California With a New Lawsuit," 7 Mar. 2018 The right to become a free agent is the proudest achievement of the Major League Baseball Players Association, the oldest and most powerful labor union in North American professional sports. — Jared Diamond, WSJ, "The Death of Free Agency in Baseball," 24 Mar. 2019 The machine Democrat, 10-term Rep. Joe Crowley, had the endorsement of 24 labor unions (including AFSCME and the New York affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers). — Michael Hiltzik, latimes.com, "Dealt a body blow by the Supreme Court, unions ponder: Where do we go from here?," 28 June 2018 Lamb, who struck a moderate tone during the race and was backed by the district’s influential labor unions, beat Saccone, a state lawmaker who had compiled one of the most conservative voting records in the state Legislature. — Marc Levy, BostonGlobe.com, "Saccone concedes Pennsylvania US House race to Lamb," 21 Mar. 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.

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Dictionary Entries near labor union

labor theory of value

labor the point

labor under a delusion/misapprehension/misconception

Statistics for labor union

Last Updated

9 May 2019

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Time Traveler for labor union

The first known use of labor union was in 1849

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More Definitions for labor union

labor union

noun

Financial Definition of labor union

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

noun

English Language Learners Definition of labor union

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

See the full definition for labor union in the English Language Learners Dictionary

labor union

noun

Kids Definition of labor union

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

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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.