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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web Before a December 9th strike deadline, Biden wants lawmakers to adopt an agreement brokered by the White House earlier this year between labor union leaders and rail operators.

Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 30 Nov. 2022 Some Democrats are hesitant to tell labor union leaders what to do, while some Republicans philosophically oppose government intervention into private contractual negotiations.

Andrew Restuccia, WSJ, 28 Nov. 2022 The two candidates spent a record-setting $4.8 million, with Meek outspending his opponent by nearly $700,000 thanks to a surge in last-minute contributions from Democratic party and labor union PACs.

oregonlive, 17 Nov. 2022 The racial concerns are based on state data showing Black people make up 6.39 percent of the county population but landed just 3.33 percent of labor union apprenticeship slots between 2007 and 2017.

David Garrick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Oct. 2022 Amazon Labor Union members rallied at the ALB1 Warehouse in Schodack, New York, on October 10, 2022, ahead of their labor union election.

WIRED, 19 Oct. 2022 Leading labor union organizations such as the AFL-CIO, North America’s Building Trades Unions, and Laborers' International Union of North America have advocated against the establishment of IRAPs.

Patrick Hauf, Fox News, 7 Oct. 2022 Phoenix City Council candidates are not, by state law, allowed to accept labor union donations.

Taylor Seely, The Arizona Republic, 17 Sep. 2022 In 2021, there were approximately 14 million labor union members in the U.S. Membership is highest among Americans between the age of 45 and 54.

Leada Gore | Lgore@al.com, al, 5 Sep. 2022 See More

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.

Word History

First Known Use

1849, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of labor union was in 1849

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Labor union.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/labor%20union. Accessed 7 Dec. 2022.

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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.