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Glite Dictionary
trades union

trades union

2.7
A group of workers who join together to protect their pay and rights by talking with employers
  • noun
  • /treɪdz ˈjuːnɪən/
  • UK
translation icon : sindicato
  • The workers joined the trades union to negotiate better wages and working conditions.

Examples

  • The trades union organized a strike to fight for workers' rights in the factory.

  • He's actually interestingly in Oslo, he's one of the first leftist trades union activists.

  • What seemed to particularly incense Elizabeth Morley was this remark: "To those in Britain's universities and trades unions who want to boycott Israel and consign it to an international ghetto, I say not only will this Government never allow you to shut down 60 years' worth of vibrant exchange

    Blog text (27)

  • Many employees feel safer knowing their trades union is advocating for their interests.

Synonyms

union
vstrades union
∞ 2.3

A group of workers who act together to protect pay and rights

is the more specific phrase stressing collective bargaining for workers
brotherhood
vstrades union
  • US
175 3.5

A group of workers that negotiates for better pay and working conditions

is the neutral organizational term focusing on collective bargaining and rights
labor union
vstrades union
  • US
45 2.7

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

uses a name that highlights types of trades rather than worker emphasis
trade union
vstrades union
12 2.8

A group of workers who protect rights and talk with employers about pay and work conditions

uses a plural form of that same name instead

How Powerful

labor movement
  • US
18 3.6
trades union
  • UK
2.7
committee
∞ 3.2

Surface Forms

trades union singular
trades unions plural

Morphology

trade + union

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'trade' (a group of workers in a particular occupation) plus 'union' (a workers' organization), so a learner who knows both words can infer an organization of workers from a trade that negotiates collectively. This is a common, cross-linguistic compound pattern and therefore immediately comprehensible to a B1 learner who knows the constituents.

Etymology

Trades union comes from workers in the same trades forming a union and joining together so they are stronger when they talk to their boss. That's why it means 'a group of workers who join together to protect and improve their pay and rights'.