labor union

noun

|Updated on: 20 Jun 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

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See labor union defined for kids

Recent Examples of labor union from the Web

Thomas has endorsements from Allen and council members Brianne K. Nadeau (D-Ward 1) and David Grosso (I-At Large), as well as D.C. Attorney General Karl A. Racine (D) and several labor unions and political groups.

— peter jamison, Washington Post, "Is this D.C. politician benefiting from a case of mistaken identity?," 14 June 2018
Added to that was his service as counsel to Sen. John McClellan’s investigation of corruption in American labor unions, and his conservative credentials were cemented.

— ross baker, Smithsonian, "Why Robert Kennedy Transformed From a Conservative Into a Liberal Champion of Civil Rights," 5 June 2018
Some wild-card questions: Could labor unions gain some traction in the fallout?

— mark trumbull, The Christian Science Monitor, "Setback for workers: What fallout as Supreme Court OKs forced arbitration?," 21 May 2018
At that time, the one-time liberal darling who took on Lieberman over the Iraq War drew the wrath of labor unions for his reservations about a bill mandating employers provide paid sick leave.

— daniela altimari, courant.com, "For Democrats in Connecticut, A Sharp Turn To The Left," 17 May 2018
Despite collecting endorsements from powerful labor unions and campaigning alongside Warren — a hero to liberals — Cordray struggled at times to inspire enthusiasm from rank and file Democratic voters.

— author: jonathan martin, alexander burns, Anchorage Daily News, "Party mavericks rebuffed at the polls in primary elections," 9 May 2018
Besides selling themselves to Democratic voters, the candidates will also be looking to portray themselves as viable candidates to labor unions and African-American and women's groups who will be making endorsements in the race, Browder said.

— howard koplowitz, AL.com, "Democratic gubernatorial candidates can't afford to pull a Kay Ivey, skip debate: Experts," 24 Apr. 2018
As Volkswagen AG fought for its survival two years ago, Herbert Diess -- a fresh hire from BMW AG -- appeared headed for a rapid exit after a tense standoff with the company’s powerful labor unions over cost-cutting measures.

— chris reiter, Bloomberg.com, "VW’s Diess Goes From Lame Duck to Top Dog in Two Years," 11 Apr. 2018
Political action committees — labor unions, professional groups, a major Boston law firm, and major corporations, all with issues before the state Senate and her committee — contributed $27,250 to L’Italien’s congressional campaign.

— frank phillips, BostonGlobe.com, "L’Italien chides opponents for political connections but raises thousands on Beacon Hill," 1 June 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.