Employment Law and Labor: The National Labor Relations Act
Business Finance
What lead to the passage of the National Labor Relations Act and what is the function of the National Labor Relations Board?
There were many battles over the years before the birth of the National Labor Relations Act. Beginning in the 1800’s with the shoemakers who lobbied for an increase in pay (Castagenera, 2017). In that era the courts supported the idealism of the employers and overruled the demand for increase in pay (Castagenera, 2017). They were accused of “contriving and intending unjustly and oppressively, to increase and augment the prices and rates usually paid to them” (Castagenera, 2017). Also, they were accused of forming a club that refused to work for a master that employed workers that did not abide by the club’s rules (Castagenera, 2017).
The Labor Relations Act a distant thought that involved struggle, violence and faith. In December of 1869, Uriah Stephens founded the Knights of Labor an underground labor organization that spearheaded the foundation for labor organizing (Shmoop). Other events throughout the 1800’s laid the ground work for labor organizing such as the American Federation of Labor (AFL) (Shmoop). The AFL was a collection of trade unions that was instrumental in the American Labor movement (Shmoop). Most importantly the AFL focused on labor union activities based on the British Trade union system (Castagenera, 2017).
Throughout the late 1800’s events involving strikes and new legislation pushed the labor movement forward. The 1990’s follows with milestones in legislation with the enactment to the Norris-La Guardia Act, that limited the courts power to issue injunctions against strikes (Shmoop). Also, it ended the yellow dog contacts prohibiting employees from joining unions (Castagenera, 2017). States also enforced injunction against strikes however, the Little Norris La Guardia Act in 1937 reversed the state’s power of injunctions against the union strikes (Castagenera, 2017). In 1935, President Roosevelt, enacted the National Labor Relations Act also known as the Wagner Act, to allow unions to organize and for employers to engage in collective bargaining with unions (History).
The National Labor Relations Board was formed to institute safeguards in union organizing and to institute fairness in union elections and with collective bargaining (Castagenera, 2017). The law leveled the playing field in favor of the union representation of employees (Shmoop).
References
Castagenera, P. J. (2017). Employment and Labor Law 9th ED. Boston, M.A, U.S.
History, U. S. (n.d.). National Labor Relations Act. Retrieved from United States History: https://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1612.html
p. (n.d.).
Shmoop. (n.d.). History of Labor Unions Timeline . Retrieved from Shmoop: https://www.shmoop.com/history-labor-unions/timeli…
Question for Tutor: Response should be a minimum of 200 words. Please include references and in-text citation.
What were some of the problems establishing the National Labor Relations Board?
