tööinimesed

tööinimesed is a plural Estonian noun formed from the words töö (work) and inimesed (people). It designates people who earn their living through work and is commonly used to refer to the social group of workers or the working population. The term can be translated as "working people" or "the working class" in English, though it is not a strict legal category.

In sociological and political contexts, tööinimesed is used to discuss wages, labor rights, and conditions of employment. It is broader than the everyday term töötaja (employee) and can encompass both manual and intellectual labor, as well as people who rely on wage labor rather than ownership of capital. The phrase is often employed to express collective concerns about economic policy and social welfare.

Historically, the concept has appeared in Estonian discourse during the 20th century, including during the interwar period and under Soviet influence, where it could symbolize the backbone of the economy or the ideal of productive citizenship. In contemporary use, the phrase is more common in academic, journalistic, or rhetorical writing than in casual speech.

In modern Estonian, more common terms for everyday reference are töötaja (employee) or töölised (workers), while tööinimesed remains a broader, sometimes more ideological label for the group of people who earn wages through work. See also: tööline, töötaja, töölised.