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

Two of Belgium’s largest labor unions organized Friday’s daylong national strike, with a separate public-sector walkout planned for Monday. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026

Negotiations with other unions Meanwhile, the CSU’s negotiations with all its other labor unions remain ongoing. — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 9 Oct. 2026

The administration’s rule, which affects nearly 200,000 foreign CDL holders, has been challenged by labor unions and drivers, and a case is before an appeals court in Washington, DC. — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

South Africa is facing growing pressure from labor unions and business groups to provide around $600 million in fuel relief, after the Iran war drove petrol prices to record highs in the continent’s biggest economy. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 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.