Definition

Proper noun: - An industrial union of mine workers in North America: The United Mine Workers of America (UMWA) is a specific labor union representing workers in the mining industry, primarily in the United States and Canada. It is an organization formed to collectively bargain for wages, benefits, and safe working conditions for its members.

Usage Notes

• This term refers exclusively to the specific, historically significant labor union. It is always treated as a singular proper noun.
• It is often abbreviated as UMWA.

Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The United Mine Workers of America called for a strike to protest unsafe working conditions.
  • He has been a member of the United Mine Workers of America for twenty years.
  • The history of the United Mine Workers of America is central to the story of labor rights in the 20th century.

Advanced Usage

• "UMWA membership": Refers to the state of being a member of this union or the collective body of its members.
  • UMWA membership declined with the closure of many coal mines.
• "UMWA contract": Refers to the collective bargaining agreement negotiated by the union.
  • The new UMWA contract included a significant pay raise.

Variants and Related Words

• UMWA (abbreviation): The standard acronym for the United Mine Workers of America.
• Union (noun): An organized association of workers formed to protect and further their rights and interests. (The UMWA is a specific type of union.)
• Labor union (noun): Another term for a trade union. (The UMWA is a labor union.)
• Industrial union (noun): A union that accepts all workers in a given industry, regardless of their specific trade or skill. (The UMWA is an industrial union.)

Synonyms

• Mine workers' union: A descriptive synonym, though not a formal name.
• The miners' union: A common informal reference.

Related Phrases

• Collective bargaining: The negotiation of wages and other conditions of employment by an organized body of employees (like the UMWA).
  • The UMWA's primary function is collective bargaining on behalf of its members.
• Labor movement: The collective efforts of workers and their organizations to improve their conditions. The UMWA is a key part of the American labor movement.

Noun

1. an industrial union of mine workers in North America