What is the labor exemption to antitrust?

The labor exemption to antitrust laws allows labor unions and their members to engage in activities such as collective bargaining and strikes without facing antitrust scrutiny. This exemption acknowledges that labor unions operate in the interest of workers to negotiate wages and working conditions, which can sometimes involve actions that might otherwise be viewed as anti-competitive. However, this exemption is not absolute; unions must still operate within certain legal boundaries and cannot engage in activities that significantly restrain trade or harm competition outside of labor contexts.