unionism

American  

[yoon-yuh-niz-uhm] / ˈyun yəˌnɪz əm /

noun

1. the principle of union, especially trade unionism.

2. attachment to a union.

3. (initial capital letter) loyalty to the federal union of the United States of America, especially at the time of the Civil War.

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unionism British  

/ ˈjuːnjəˌnɪzəm /

noun

1. the principles of trade unions

2. adherence to the principles of trade unions

3. the principle or theory of any union

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Other Word Forms

• prounionism noun

Etymology

Origin of unionism

First recorded in 1835–45; union + -ism

Example Sentences

In 1905, the Industrial Workers of the World rejected the AFL’s narrow craft unionism, calling for one big union uniting all workers to abolish wage labor.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

In December 1886, Samuel Gompers founded the American Federation of Labor, organizing only skilled workers and focusing on “pure and simple” unionism that rejected state intervention.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 30, 2025

He cited electoral results which show the overall nationalist vote had not grown in 25 years, but he acknowledged that support for political unionism has dropped in that period.

From BBC • Aug. 16, 2024

But Mr Bowie says this kind of "muscular unionism" will not be applied when it comes to nuclear energy.

From BBC • Dec. 5, 2023

The place smelled of their beer and hair tonic, their punch-clock misery, their frayed nerves, their trade unionism.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides