労組

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 労組 (ろうそ) is an abbreviated compound noun for a labor union organized by workers to address employment conditions.
• Basic usage: 会社側と労組が話し合う makes the union one party negotiating with management, while 労組の代表が意見をまとめる identifies the affiliation of the person consolidating members’ views.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Negotiating party and organizational representative
  • 労組が話し合う treats the organization as an actor, whereas 労組の代表 selects a role within it. A labor union is not the company’s human-resources department.