Unionizing

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of workers coming together to create or join a labor union for collective bargaining
2. Organizing employees to establish a formal labor union to represent their interests and negotiate conditions
3. The act of uniting workers into a structured group to collectively advocate for workplace rights and benefits

Etymology: Latin "unio" meant both "oneness" and a single large pearl, a gem prized because it was unique. The sense moved from singular perfection toward things joined into one whole, which is how English "union" came to mean a joining of people. "Unionizing" is the "-ing" form of "unionize," built from "union" plus the suffix "-ize," which turns a noun into a verb meaning to bring something into a particular state. That suffix passed through Latin "-izare" from Greek "-izein." The "-ing" ending makes the verb name the ongoing process of organizing workers into a union.

Synonyms: organizing, forming unions