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

Who’s behind it: The labor union SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West says clinics gouge patients who have private insurance and that the initiative will ensure fair pricing. — Melody Gutierrez, SFChronicle.com, "Gas taxes, cage-free chickens and a chopped-up California top fall ballot," 3 July 2018 The sheriff and the labor union representing corrections officers agreed to increase staffing by one additional corrections officer per floor when boats are in use. — Kevin Grasha, Cincinnati.com, "Settlement includes plan to stop overcrowding emergencies at the Hamilton County jail," 29 June 2018 But the labor unions have countered with $15 million. — Steve Vockrodt And Bill Turque, kansascity, "Developer sets new opening date, project budget for KCI single terminal," 21 June 2018 The janitors will also demand that business owners allow them to negotiate better wages without interference, the labor union said. — Detroit Free Press, "Janitors to rally for higher wages today in downtown Detroit," 14 June 2018 Many of the labor unions that made up the bulk of the party’s membership have bolted. — David Freedlander, Daily Intelligencer, "Working Families Party Mulls All-out War With Cuomo," 7 June 2018 But conductors would lose jobs and need to retrain and possibly join a different labor union. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "HQ2 is a perfect opportunity to massively upgrade the DC area’s commuter rail," 17 Nov. 2018 The company ping-pong table and free beer on tap is meant to prevent a labor union! — Elizabeth Lopatto, The Verge, "What Tesla’s union-busting trial means for the rest of Silicon Valley," 29 Sep. 2018 Workers belonged to labor unions, which voted solid blue. — The Voorhes, Glamour, "I'm a Woman in a Battleground State. Here's What Politicians Don't Understand About Me.," 21 Aug. 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

5 Dec 2018

Look-up Popularity

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

: 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.