Taft Hartley

Essay by ttbobco December 2012

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Taft-Hartley Act--The Essay

The Taft-Hartley Act was a major revision of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 aka the Wagner Act. The Wagner Act was a bill of rights, so to speak of labor laws. Some say this was the most important labor law in the US History. It protected union workers. From 1933 to 1945, the federal government supported workers who were able to self-organize into unions and for collective bargaining. As a result, unions grew four fold, due in part to the Wagner Act.

In 1947, a bill was proposed to amend the Wagner Act, after massive strikes nearly crippled the automotive, steel, and packing industries, as well as others. What once was seemed to be a positive during the war; Unions preventing strikes and kept production going, after WWII the view was changing. Workers became disgruntled, not liking their wages and walked out. It became apparent the unions had too much power and it was grossly affecting the economics of society, nationally and globally.

The adage, in war or in peace, employer and employee relationships affect commerce.

The amendment was The Taft Hartley Act, sponsored by Senator Taft and Representative Hartley, was vetoed in 1947 by President Truman, but later passed by Congress. Both houses of Congress were Republican majority for the first time in 16 years. While Truman, was seeking to have the Wagner Act amended, the majority of congress wanted it amended more than he was seeking at the time. The Taft-Hartley duo offered that expansion. In their Act it expanded and offered protection to all parties in a labor agreement. The employers, employees, and the labor union, were all included in the Taft-Hartley Act.

This excerpt from the Taft-Hartley Act offers a great definition and outline of it's plan "It is the purpose...