Legal Definitions - community of interest

A community of interest refers to a group of people who share a common goal or interest. This term can be used in different contexts:

1. Business: A joint venture where partners share liability and profits.
2. Legal: A common grievance shared by all members of a class action lawsuit.
3. Labor: A group of employees who share similar duties, wages, hours, benefits, skills, training, supervision, and working conditions and are allowed to act as a bargaining unit.

For example, a group of farmers who come together to form a cooperative to sell their produce is a community of interest in a business context. In a legal context, a class action lawsuit against a company for selling defective products can only proceed if all members of the class have suffered the same harm. In a labor context, a group of factory workers who work in the same department and have similar job duties and working conditions can form a community of interest and negotiate with their employer for better wages and benefits.