Dismissal or firing is generally thought to be the fault of the employee, whereas a layoff is generally done for business reasons (for instance a business slowdown or an economic downturn) outside the employee's performance.
Australian Unions. In Australia, a union is sometimes referred to as a trade union or a labour union. A union is an organisation of workers or employees who have joined together to achieve common goals. These goals can include seeking higher pay and better working conditions, fighting for job security and protecting the integrity of a trade.
A set of countries which engage in international trade together, and are usually related through a free trade agreement or other association. The European Union is the most successful trading bloc, and their are efforts in Eurasia, Africa, Asia, and Central and South America to duplicate the sucess.