organized labor

American  

noun

1. all workers who are organized in labor unions.

2. these unions considered as a political force.

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Etymology

Origin of organized labor

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

organized labor

A longtime ally of organized labor, Jackson also had Maine unions heavily organizing for him.

From Slate ● Jul. 24, 2026

President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs, designed to respond to the Great Depression, had expanded the federal government’s role in the economy and empowered organized labor.

From Salon ● Jun. 29, 2026

The coordinated teachers campaign in California takes a page from organized labor in other industries, including autos and hotels, said Rebecca Givan, an associate professor of labor studies and employment relations at Rutgers University.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 19, 2026

That raises another potential impediment for state lawmakers hoping to goose the factory-built model: organized labor.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 14, 2026

In the city’s richest clubs, industrialists gathered to toast the fact that Carter Henry Harrison, whom they viewed as overly sympathetic to organized labor, had lost to Hempstead Washburne, a Republican.

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson