Legislative Acts in U.S. Labor History- Railway Labor Act and Norris-La Guardia Act

Legislative Acts in U.S. Labor History- Railway Labor Act and Norris-La Guardia Act

List the five general purposes of the Railway Labor Act.

One of the purposes of the Railway Labor Act is to prevent the interruption of rail service. The second purpose is to allow employees to organize their own unions. The third purpose is to provide complete autonomy o organizations by both labor and management. The fourth purpose is to facilitate quick settlement of disputes arising due to pay rates and working conditions. The fifth purpose is to enable quick settlement of any grievances or disputes arising due to conflicting interpretations or applications of existing agreements.

What does the Norris-La Guardia Act enable?

The Norris-La Guardia Act enabled the creation of labor unions by encouraging the practice of collective bargaining through the protection of workers’ freedom of association, appointing representatives of their own selection, and self-organization. It eliminated specific judicial and legal barriers against organized labor activities in the United States by declaring that the members of labor unions should have complete freedom of association without being disturbed by employers (Buchen, 1941). It also barred the federal courts from granting injunctions to prevent boycotts, picketing, and strikes by labor groups. Before the Act was enacted, employers could require employees to sign an agreement promising that they would not join a union as a condition of employment. They would then be fired if they joined a union after signing the document.

Describe the National Labor Relations Board.

The National Labor Relations Board implements the National Labor Relations Act by investigating wrongdoing allegations brought by workers, employers, or unions, deciding and resolving cases. It focuses on limiting industrial conflict among employees, labor organizations, and employers, which could prevent total production in the economy. It allows employees, labor organizations, and employers to know what to expect from each other and define and protect the rights of these groups (Kheel & Board, 1948). The National Labor Relations Board further encourages collective bargaining and eliminates practices that hinder effective labor management and relations between employers and employees.

Explain the concept of “duty to bargain” in good faith.

The duty to bargain in good faith oversees negotiating collective bargaining agreements between management and labor unions. Both employers and unions are required to bargain in good faith, meaning that they meet at reasonable times and respect hours, wages, and other employment terms and conditions (Gold, 2014). However, neither party has an obligation to agree to any concession or proposal.

What are the responsibilities of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service?

The mission of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service is to promote and preserve cooperation and peace. One of its responsibilities is to help labor and management to resolve disputes in industries affecting commerce. Another responsibility is to offer training in the cooperative process to promote economic growth and work stability. The third responsibility is to provide alternative dispute resolution services, negotiated rulemaking, training, and public policy facilitation to government entities.

Explain what trade treaties are intended to achieve.

Trade treaties are required to create a conducive trade environment by reducing or eliminating trade tariffs, protecting the intellectual property rights of product owners, ensuring that the standards of products being sold in the market are good, and promoting fair treatment of all traders.

Who are union stewards, and what are their roles and responsibilities?

Union stewards are employees of an organization or company or a labor official who defends and represents the interests of his or her fellow employees (Sinclair et al., 2019). The duties of a union steward vary based on the constitutional mandate of every union, but the main roles and responsibilities are informing the workers of their rights under the collective bargaining agreement, ensuring that employees comply with state, federal, and local laws, and enforcing and monitoring the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement. A union steward also has a responsibility to represent and defend employees in investigatory interviews when the employee is believed to have violated the collective bargaining agreement or company policy.

Briefly describe the national structure of national unions.

The structure of national unions varies, but the main feature shared by all national unions is that they elect executive boards in charge of directing the union and representing members. Every union is required to state its structure in its constitution, and the committees need to be elected. National unions consist of one or more bargaining units such as locals who are part of a district, region or province. They are run by locals working in different occupational categories and trades who have come together to attempt to increase the power of workers in their region.

References

Buchen, P. W. (1941). Labor law: Existence of labor dispute under Norris-la Guardia Act: Relation of Norris-la Guardia act to Sherman Act. Michigan Law Review, 39(4), 663. https://doi.org/10.2307/1283067

Gold, M. E. (2014). An introduction to labor law (3rd ed.). Cornell University Press.

Kheel, T. M., & Board, N. L. (1948). Twelfth annual report of the National Labor Relations Board. Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 2(1), 138. https://doi.org/10.2307/2519265

Sinclair, R. R., Martin, J. E., Tetrick, L. E., & McMillan, M. (2019). Modeling the influence of Steward satisfaction and participation on perceived union performance. The Future of Trade Unionism, 295-306. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429435652-21

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This quiz contains 8 questions, including short essays for a total of 100 points. It covers the content of Chapters 3 and 4.
In order to avoid timing out when you take the quiz, prepare answers to the following essay questions in a document ahead of time.

List the five general purposes of the Railway Labor Act.
What does the Norris-La Guardia Act enable?
Describe the National Labor Relations Board.
Explain the concept of “duty to bargain” in good faith.
What are the responsibilities of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service?
Explain what trade treaties are intended to achieve.
Who are union stewards, and what are their roles and responsibilities?
Briefly describe the national structure of national unions.