Wikipedia:WikiProject Organized Labour/Summaries/Trade union/Summary

Definition; A Trade union is an organization which has the stated purpose to promote and protect the interests of a collection of workers.

Often trade unions are the workers' representative when negotiating wages or working conditions with employers and/or governments.

• In some countries trade unions enjoy considerable freedom, from the right to Freedom of Association, to public demonstrations and active protest against political opponents.

• In other countries trade unions are actively suppressed by political or military regimes, with little or no freedoms, and the prospect of violence or even death.

Trade unions are unavoidably political, and often attract both passionate support, and heated disagreement.