trade unionist

American  

[treyd yoon-yuh-nist] / ˈtreɪd ˈyun yə nɪst /

Also trades-unionist or trade-unionist

noun

1. a member of a trade union.

2. a person who favors or advocates trade unionism.

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Etymology

Origin of trade unionist

First recorded in 1830–40

Example Sentences

"We will continue the fight to the end," farm trade unionist Costas Tzelas told a crowd of a few thousand at central Syntagma Square, including workers opposed to a new collective bargaining law.

From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026

He funded trade unionist Makhan Singh’s printing press, which churned out pro-independence leaflets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 25, 2025

Dubbed Peru's first poor president, Castillo, a former trade unionist and rural schoolteacher, won power in 2021 on a wave of frustration with conventional politics.

From BBC • Nov. 28, 2025

The former trade unionist and business tycoon first became president in 2018 when his predecessor, Mr Zuma, was forced to resign because of corruption allegations.

From BBC • Jun. 19, 2024

Ray was a staunch trade unionist, a member of the Cape executive and the Communist Party, and the first ANC leader to be arrested in the Defiance Campaign.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela