| Year |
Act Name |
Description |
| 1908 |
Muller v. Oregon |
In 1903, Oregon adopted a 10 hour working
day law for women in industry. The law was challenged in 1908 in the Supreme
Court where it was upheld. |
| 1914 |
Clayton Anti Trust Act |
Outlawed price discrimination, "tying"
agreements (right of dealer to handle manufacturer's competitor),
acquisition of competitor's stock, and "interlocking directorates of
corporations ($1 million) or banks ($5 million). Exempted labor
organizations if they were not trade restrictive. Injunction to not be
handed down by federal Courts (unless to prevent property injury). "Right of
unions to exist by forbidding their dissolution for being in restraint of
trade"; injunctions can be made against individual workers, but not certain
union activities. |
| 1926 |
Railway Labor Act |
Abolished Railway Labor Board, set up new
Board of Mediation. Railway unions could be formed "w/o interference,
influence, or coercion" (not give to other workers until 1930s); airlines
were included in this act beginning 1936. |
| 1932 |
Norris LaGuardia Act |
Banned court injunctions in labor
disputes |
| 1935 |
National Labor Relations Act
(Wagner Act) |
Workers gained right to bargain via their
chosen union, kept employers from interfering w/ union activities. NLRB:
Union activities / elections and employers actions. |
| 1938 |
Fair Labor Standards Act
(Wages and Hour Law) |
Established minimum wage, a maxiumum work
week of 40 hours, and forbade labor by children under age 16. |
| 1943 |
War Labor Disputes Act
(Smith-Connally Act) |
Created in response to World War II, this
act gave the government the power to seize plants that could be used in the
war effort, and it restricted unions from making political contributions. |
| 1947 |
Taft - Hartley Act |
Created by Representatives Fred Hartley
(NJ) and Sen. Robert Taft (OH) who had chairmanships over the
labor-management legislation committees. Revived court injunctions, took
away union's right to protect itself (v. criminals, extremists, spies,
scabs) which led to limits on grounds for discharge; no secondary boycotts
allowed during strikes; strike notice requirements; union officers had to
take an oath of loyalty (later ruled unconstitutional). Truman tried to veto
Taft Hartley, but it was overturned. Banned closed shop (only union workers
can be hired), permitted union shop (new workers required to join union)
unless prohibited by state law; Provisions against "unfair" union actions
(secondary boycotts, jurisdictional strikes (excluding another union from a
company / field), refusing to bargain in good faith, and contributing to
political campaigns. Employers could sue unions for breaking contracts,
petition NLRB for votes for or against a specific union as a collective
bargaining agent. Led to foundation for "right to work" laws in several
states. |
| 1959 |
Landrum-Griffin Act
(Labor Management & Disclosure Act) |
Meant to protect union members from abuse
of union power. Protected democratic procedures, penalized union officials
who misused funds or coerced members, and made sure that people who had been
convicted of various crimes were not allowed to hold office. More
restrictions were placed on blackmail picketing and secondary boycotting,
and payments that employers made to union office and labor-management
consultants were monitored. |
| 1963 |
Equal Pay Act |
Equal wages for equal work in industries
engaged in commerce or producing goods for commerce. |
| 1970 |
Occupation Safety and Health Act
(OSHA) |
Act Created to set health and safety
standards in the workplace, and to conduct research, information, and
education on these issues. |
