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

The strike bill is supported by the California Labor Federation and other labor unions. —Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2024

Supreme Court to decide The court’s focus on labor unions, whose power in the workplace had dwindled for decades after peaking in the 1950s, comes amid an aggressive push by President Joe Biden to revive the role unions. —USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024

But if successful, the players would form the first labor union in college athletics. —Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2024

After leaving the Community Service Organization in 1962, Chávez and Huerta helped found the National Farm Workers Association, which later merged with the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee to become the United Farm Workers labor union. —Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Apr. 2024

The proposal was put on the ballot by a coalition of labor unions, environmental groups and contractors through a signature-gathering citizens initiative. —Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024

On the other side, major business associations are supporting the tax alongside labor unions that stand to benefit from a major construction project. —Jonathan Shorman, Kansas City Star, 29 Mar. 2024

A week later, the United Steelworkers union endorsed Biden for a second term, months after other prominent labor unions made the move to jointly give him their backing. —Akayla Gardner, Fortune, 20 Mar. 2024

One taxpayer group wants input on any possible measure Oct. 22, 2023 Other critics said strong support for the sales tax measure from city labor unions should make voters concerned that much of the money would be spent on employee pay raises, not infrastructure projects and road paving. —David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

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.