Labor Union Vocabulary

noun a person or group of people standing outside a workplace or other venue as a form of protest or to prevent others from entering

verb to stand or station as a picket

adjective relating to or characteristic of a picket

preposition used in phrases like 'on picket' to indicate being on duty as a sentinel or guard

• The workers decided to organize a picket outside the factory to protest against the unfair labor practices.
• Let's join the picket line to show our support for the striking workers.
• The picket was lit! Everyone was chanting and holding up signs.
• She felt like she was on a picket line, standing up for her beliefs in the face of opposition.

noun a group of people who form the main body of an organization or movement

conjunction used to connect the two nouns 'rank' and 'file' to form a compound noun

• The company's management team regularly communicates with the rank and file employees.
• The boss needs to hear feedback from the rank and file workers.
• The rank and file are the backbone of this organization.
• In times of crisis, it's important for the leaders to stand united with the rank and file.

noun A small group that has broken away from a larger organization or group, typically due to disagreement or conflict.

• The splinter group broke off from the main organization due to ideological differences.
• The splinter group formed their own club after disagreeing with the rules of the original group.
• The splinter group decided to do their own thing and start a new crew.
• The splinter group represented a fracture in the unity of the community.

noun a person who drives a team of animals or a motor vehicle, especially as a job

• The teamster carefully maneuvered the large truck through the narrow city streets.
• My uncle is a teamster and he loves driving big rigs.
• Hey, did you see that teamster roll up in his semi-truck?
• She was the teamster of the group, always organizing and leading the way.

noun a person who works with another person in a specific job or task

• I appreciate the dedication of my fellow-worker in completing the project on time.
• My fellow-worker and I are planning to grab lunch together later.
• Me and my fellow-worker are tight, we always have each other's backs.
• In the journey of life, our fellow-workers are like the stars that guide us along the way.

noun a system of deducting union dues or agency fees from an employee's wages

verb to deduct union dues or agency fees from an employee's wages

• The checkoff system is used to keep track of completed tasks in the project.
• Don't forget to do the checkoff for the items on the list.
• I'll just do a quick checkoff before we leave.
• The completion of the project was a checkoff on their list of accomplishments.