What is the purpose of a trade union?

Generally, the purpose of a trade union is to unite workers of a specific sector in their efforts and to secure them through strength in numbers to attain their goals for the betterment of their industry. The National Women's Trade Union League of America (NWTUL) is one example of such a trade union.

The NWTUL united women from different classes in the bonds of womanhood. The NWTUL began in Boston in 1903.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) offers a statement of union values that relates to society and workplaces. These values ascertain that workers have the rights to fair wages and safe working conditions among their other rights.