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

Martinez said his support or opposition would be based on whether city labor unions support it. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2026

Two years ago, a labor union trying to organize Wells Fargo workers made inroads in North Carolina, home to the bank’s largest employment hub in Charlotte. —Chase Jordan april 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 Apr. 2026

One person was arrested in Idaho and another in LA for allegedly defrauding a West Coast labor union’s health care plans. —ABC News, 2 Apr. 2026

And last summer, more than 2,100 DHL Express workers in Canada affiliated with the Unifor labor union went on strike for nearly three weeks before agreeing on a new four-year contract. —Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2026

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.