a card serving to identify one as a member in good standing of a specified labor union
union card in American English
noun
a card identifying one as a member of a particular labor union
Word origin
[1870–75, Amer.]This word is first recorded in the period 1870–75. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Victorian, asymmetric, billing, upgrade, washout
Examples of 'union card' in a sentence
union card
He had no technical training and no union card.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
He was demobilised in 1947 but without a trade union card he could get no work in the film industry at first.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He had planned to go into films but as he could not obtain a film union card he instead went into broadcasting.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Today fewer than a third carry a union card and fewer than one in five workers aged between 18 and 29 are members.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Another 40,000 people tore up their union cards last year.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In the private sector fewer than 7% hold union cards, down from an estimated 30% in 1958 and more than 20% in 1980.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
A further 143,000 brothers and sisters gave up their union cards during 2011, making it the fourth consecutive year of falling union membership.