{"id":357885,"date":"2017-04-25T12:52:53","date_gmt":"2017-04-25T17:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/what-is-a-labor-union.html"},"modified":"2025-04-14T23:05:00","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T04:05:00","slug":"what-is-a-labor-union","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/employment\/wages-and-benefits\/what-is-a-labor-union.html","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Labor Union?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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What Is a Labor Union?<\/h1>\n
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\n By Natalie Moritz<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Susan Mills Richmond, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

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A labor union is an organized group of workers who unite to make collective decisions regarding conditions affecting their work. Typically, union members work in similar industries and use collective bargaining to negotiate with employers on better benefits, wages, and working conditions. <\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n

This collective bargaining results in an agreement that sets standards for employment. Unions also play a role in political advocacy, influencing legislation that affects workers’ rights and working conditions for all working people\u2014union and non-union workers alike.<\/p>\n

Labor union members enjoy certain rights and benefits. Contact a labor attorney<\/a> in your area to learn more about these rights and how to protect them.<\/p>\n

This article explains more about unions, their history<\/a>, and what to do if you need one in your workplace.<\/p>\n

Labor Union Definition<\/h2>\n

A labor union is a group of employees who band together to protect the interests of the workers. Union members<\/a> often belong to the same trade and can vary in size. The labor organization uses collective bargaining to negotiate with employers the terms of employment and further its workers’ rights and conditions of employment. Unions advocate for:<\/p>\n