The passage of 1935 National Labor Relations Act

Read pages 450-458 of Legal Environment of Business.

Read pages 464-474 of Legal Environment of Business.

Consider the following as you read:

• Consider how unions have changed over the years and whether it is simply a matter of time before all states are “right-to-work” states or whether unions will grow in stature and strength in the years to come.

Answer preview

In American labor history, the passage of 1935 National Labor Relations Act was a major turning point since it was expected to put the government power behind the workers right to bargain and organize unions in a collect way with their employers about working conditions, hours and wages. It is clear that unions have transitioned over the years because workers have been using unions for defensive purposes. In the past, unions that were organized by workers had fewer powers but with the enactment of several laws unions can now enjoy a variety of rights. Currently, workers are using unions to protect against what they view as arbitrary decisions which includes sudden lay-offs, wage cuts or firings. Unlike in the past, unions can now compel the management to transform what they view as overly long hours or dangerous working conditions.

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