trade union

American  

noun

• trade unions
  plural

1. a labor union of craftspeople or workers in related crafts, as distinguished from general workers or a union including all workers in an industry.

2. labor union.

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trade union British  

noun

1. an association of employees formed to improve their incomes and working conditions by collective bargaining with the employer or employer organizations

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• trade unionism
  noun
• trade unionist
  noun
• trade-union
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• trade unions
  plural

Etymology

Origin of trade union

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

trade union

Staff and trade union partners have been informed.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 7, 2026

David McMullen, senior organiser for the trade union GMB, said caution needed to be taken with the roll-out of driverless cars unless people were "prepared to see unprecedented levels of social and economic disruption".

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

The trade union Unite branded the plan to cut health boards a "slash and burn programme for the NHS".

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

A flight attendant in France has succeeded in having her breast cancer recognised as an occupational disease, a first for the country's aviation industry, her lawyer and a trade union said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 26, 2026

This was a wonderful honor, to be sure, and my rivals were none other than Princess Anne and the trade union leader Jack Jones.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela