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 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

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

The shifts within unionism is a focus for now, but a major talking point when the dust settles on this election, may well be the performance of Sinn Féin.

From BBC • May 23, 2024

But he said the news "should not deflect from the important task we have ahead of us as representatives for unionism and for Northern Ireland".

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2024

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