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

Other groups have thrown their support behind the project, like construction labor unions and the school districts that would benefit from the influx of revenue. —Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2026

Nearly two decades after a federal racketeering conviction sent him to prison and forced him out of a powerful South Florida labor union his family created, Walter Browne has won a nearly $300,000 wrongful termination payout from the exact same organization. —Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026

That reality became even more starkly obvious after 2023, when the writers’ and actors’ labor unions went on strike—going without salaries for almost five months to ensure better pay, minimum staffing requirements, better health insurance, and protections against AI. —Geoff Colvin, Fortune, 13 Mar. 2026

While labor unions and others in Hollywood fret over AI, Linklater believes that the tech’s best use is in the hands of indie filmmakers. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 12 Mar. 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.