Policy on Government and Labor

Collective bargaining

Practice of negotiating labor contracts

American Federation of Labor

1st successful national labor organization, founded 1880s

Freedom of contract

Before the 1930s, employers argued they should have freedom to negotiate their wages/working conditions with their employees without gov interference

West Coast Hotel v Parrish (1937)

Hotel owner paying below minimum wage said law denied her right to freedom of contract

SC upheld minimum wage set by Industrial Welfare Committee of Washington state

Department of Labor

Helps people find jobs

Trains workers

Collects data

Offers employment insurance

Great Depression era FDR New Deal caused labor laws that

Guaranteed labor’s right to bargain collectively, strike

Strengthened labor unions

National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)

Made by FDR and his New Deal

Enforces labor laws

Supervised elections to determine the unions workers want to represent

Hears labor’s complaints and issues “cease and desist” orders to end unfair labor practices

Closed Shop

Workplace where only members of a union may be hired

Right-to-work law

State labor law that requires all workplaces are open shops where workers can choose if they join a union

Taft-Harley Act

Congress tried to restore balance between labor and management, 1940s

Aimed to limit the power and activities of unions

• ex: unions had to give notice before calling a strike

• President can stop strikes that endanger the nation for up to 80 days

Right to work proponents

Workers should have freedom to choose

Attract large businesses to the state

Right to work critics

Laws designed to weaken unions

People don’t always pay union dues

States with RTW laws earn less

Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959

Teamster union leaders had misused/stole union funds

Act Made it a federal crime to misuse union funds

Protected union members from being intimidated by union leaders

Eliminate union election fraud

Bill of Rights for Union Members (Landrum-Griffin Act of 1959)

Members can nominate and vote by secret ballot in union elections

Speaker freely at union meetings

Sue union for unfair practices

Examine union records and finances