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labor

labor

588 2.3
The group of people who work, usually organized in unions
  • noun
  • /ˈleɪbər/
  • US
translation icon : clase trabajadora
  • The historical record is much the same on wages, labor unions, and collective bargaining.
  • labor market
  • labor force
  • labor unions

He was a a labor activist, blue collar guy.

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Examples

  • It's very common for German restaurants to use immigrant labor.

  • Yet the progress of integrating mothers into the labor force has not come without challenges.

    Academic text (2012)
  • No, there is a distribution of value between labor, capital and rent.

  • For them, this fact explained why labor needed to be organized in order to get its fair share.

    Academic text (2017)
  • At least the state of Mississippi got 40 years of cheap labor out of the deal.

  • The bulk of these cases involve insurance, labor, and personal injury matters.

    Academic text (2017)
  • My father was a labor organizer.

  • The Great Recession, beginning in 2007, caused such a labor market disruption, hitting new college graduates especially hard.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Preserve the relative flexibility of American labor markets by resisting efforts to regulate hiring and firing.

    Academic text (2012)
  • Many countries are facing challenges related to their labor market and the availability of skilled workers.

Synonyms

worker
vslabor
1.3

A person from the working class, not necessarily employed now

is a collective term for the group with social and political influence
workforce
vslabor
249 2.4

All the people who work in a company, industry, or country

focuses less on class or unions and more on economic availability
working class
vslabor
69 2.8

People who do manual or factory work and earn hourly wages

focuses more on class identity and collective influence rather than just employment
labor force
vslabor
  • Specialized
41 2.2

All the people in a country who can and are available to work

is less about social class and more a demographic economic measure
organized labor
vslabor
  • US
20 3.3

Workers who belong to unions that represent them in talks with employers

is broader, naming the whole social class and its political force
proletariat
vslabor
  • Specialized
17 7.9

People who work for pay and do not own land or factories

is similar but less strictly defined by lack of property and political theory
workpeople
vslabor
3.9

People who do jobs using their hands in places like factories

is broader, referring to the entire social group beyond just employment

Antonyms

capital
  • Specialized
726 3.4

Money or property used to start and grow a business

468 2.9

The way people plan and organize work and resources

Compounds

66 1.4

A holiday on the first Monday in September in the United States and Canada celebrating workers

45 2.7

An organized group of workers that negotiates with employers for better pay and working conditions

labor force
  • Specialized
41 2.2

All the people in a country who can and are available to work

32 2.7

A part of the United States government that helps workers and improves their working conditions

labor market
  • Specialized
27 3.5

A system where employers find workers and people look for jobs

20 3.3

Workers who belong to unions that represent them in talks with employers

19 7.5

A prison where people are forced to work, often for political reasons

18 3.7

A political group that tries to win elections to help working people and get fair treatment for all

18 3.6

An organized group of workers and unions trying to get better pay and conditions

18 3.3

Work done with your hands or body rather than by machines

15 2.8

A US government department that helps workers and protects their rights at work

labor of love
  • Informal
13 3.9

Work people do for pleasure not for money

11 3.5

A government official who leads the department that deals with jobs and work rules

10 3.2

A person who organizes and speaks for workers, often in a union

10 4.0

The official who leads the United States Department of Labor and advises the president

5 2.8

An agreement between workers and their employer that says pay, benefits and work rules

4 3.7

A group of workers available for companies to hire

false labor
  • Specialized
3 5.1

Painless tightening of the belly before birth that does not make the baby come

3 3.2

A written contract between workers and the company about pay and working rules

premature labor
  • Specialized
3 3.5

The start of childbirth before the 37th week of pregnancy

2 4.8

A person who helps workers join a union and work together for better pay

1 3.4

Strong pain in the stomach and lower back when a woman gives birth

1 3.6

Pain a woman feels during childbirth when the womb tightens

An independent United States agency that helps settle disputes between employers and labor unions

1 8.9

An employer forces people and their families to work to pay a debt, often for generations

A former group of unions in the United States that merged in 1955 to form the AFL-CIO

A former small US political party that represented farmers and workers

1 3.3

Workers who are available to do jobs in a country or company

1 3.8

A person who stays with a woman during childbirth and helps her breathe and relax

induction of labor
  • Specialized
1 4.1

Starting labor by giving medicine or breaking the water

A United States government department established in 1903 that handled business and worker issues until it split in 1913

A large group of trade unions in the United States that represents workers

A former New York political party formed in 1936 by labor unions and liberals

A major political party in Australia that supports workers and moderate social policies

An organization that helps countries protect workers' rights and improve working conditions worldwide

A person who led the United States department that handled business and worker affairs before 1913

A political party in the United States that wants workers to own businesses peacefully

How Organized

organized labor
  • US
20 3.3
labor movement
  • US
18 3.6
labor
  • US
588 2.3
individual
847 3.0

Surface Forms

labor singular
labors plural
labours plural
labour singular

Etymology

Labor for 'the workers' grew from the same Latin labor 'work' because it names the people who do the work, so when we talk about 'labor' we mean the group of workers in a place or country.