“Labor” and “labour” are two spellings of the same word: 

  • “Labor” is the preferred spelling for American English
  • “Labour” is standard for British English (i.e., English spoken in England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, etc.). 



What if labor or labour is a part of a proper name?

Sometimes the correct spelling of labor/labour depends on whether the spelling appears in a proper name. For example, the Labour Party of the United Kingdom utilizes the –our spelling, yet we find the -or spelling for the Australian Labor Party (even though “labor” is the prevalent spelling in Australia).

So, which spelling should Americans use? According to Garner’s Modern English Usage, “… the better practice is to spell this proper name, like any other, the way the name holder spells it” (Garner 547). The AP Stylebook supports this suggestion, stating: 

“British spellings, when they differ from American, are acceptable only in particular cases such as formal or composition titles: Jane’s Defence Weekly, Labour Party, Excel Centre, London Palladium Theatre, Wimbledon’s Centre Court.”

However, if labor/labour is not part of a proper name, it’s best to use the spelling most prevalent for a particular audience.

Examples:

  • “Ottawa is mulling ways to tap into the U.S. labour force as worker shortages loom on our side of the border, the federal immigration minister said Friday.” — CTV News [Canadian source]
  • “The decision represents a shift for Uber, though the move was made easier by British labor rules that offer a middle ground between freelancers and full employees…” — The New York Times [American source]

What does labor mean?

The word labor (also spelled “labour”) is a mass noun and verb relating to the broader topic of work, whether it involves employment, social class, a political party, or childbirth. 

Labor as a noun

The mass noun labor typically references physically exerting work (aka “manual labor“) or tasks that require mental effort (dull or difficult jobs), particularly when a worker’s wage contrasts to “those rendered by entrepreneurs for profits.” For example, 

  • “Field labor involves a lot of sweat, blisters, and backaches.”
  • “The labor is strenuous, but it pays well.”
  • “In the long run, anti-union measures disadvantage labor.”

“Labor” can also be a product of labor (such as one’s yield), while plural labors encompasses all the effort and strain associated with a particular task:

  • “I want readers to enjoy my labor.”
  • “Otherwise, my labors are for nothing.”

The mass noun labor may also reference a group of workers (collectively): 

  • “We are looking to hire non-union labor.”

Meanwhile, the noun laborer (plural laborers) specifically references an unskilled manual worker: 

  • “The farm hired a new laborer.”
  • “North American laborers went on strike.”

As a modifier, the noun “labor” often references a social class of workers, political party, or a specific government department concerned with a national workforce:

  • “Britain’s labour movement has taken hold of the country.”
  • “The economic group is affiliated with members of the Australian Labor Party.”
  • “Joining a labor union is in the best interest of workers.”

Last but not least, we can use the noun labor for “the process of childbirth,” which includes the onset of cervix dilation and uterine contractions (first stage) to child delivery (second stage):

  • “She went into labor on Monday night.”
  • “The epidural helped her stay calm through the second stage of labor.”
  • “Induced labor may cause more painful uterine contractions.”