Download History of US Labor LegislationAshford UniversityBUS 372: Em and more Lecture notes Accounting in PDF only on Docsity! 1 History of US Labor Legislation Ashford University BUS 372: Employee and Labor Relations 2 History of US Labor Legislation During the 1800s Industrial Revolution workers often worked long hours for very little pay and in some instances, unsafe working conditions. These poor working conditions and the lack of communication from owners/managers caused workers to ban together and form unions. Unions were able to provide all workers a voice that everyone could hear and thanks to these workers an new government department, The Department of Labor (DOL), was created in 1913 by President William Howard Taft. The Department of Labor was set up to provide assistance for all workers by creating standards for companies to follow. These standards included safety, wages, hours and benefits. Today, the DOL enforces more than 180 federal laws, which are all geared towards the protection of workers’ rights. The timeline in this paper, will outline the significant labor legislation that the Unites States went through, from 1890 to 1964, to ensure fair and safe working conditions for all workers. Timeline of Labor Legislation from 1913 through 1964 Labor Legislation Year Description Amended by, if applicable Sherman Antitrust Act 1890 This act outlawed business activities that created monopolies (U.S. National Archives & Records Administration, n.d.). The Clayton Antitrust Act of 1914 amended this law by adding specific language that excluded labor unions being considered conspiracy. Allowed businesses to sue unions due to secondary boycotts. Organic Act 1913 This act was signed by President William Howard Taft. The purpose of the Organic Act was to establish the Department of Labor. The Department of Labor’s main purpose is "to foster, promote and develop the welfare of working people, to improve 5 (Seaquist, 2015, ch. 3.3). Equal Pay Act 1963 This act was passed because of the gender wage gap. The act provides equal pay for equal work, regardless of the workers gender. Civil Rights Act 1964 This act “illegal to discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in employment” (Seaquist, 2015, ch. 3.3). Conclusion In the beginning, companies and managers were not in favor of unionization. Workers had to sacrifice their jobs, their pride, and in some instances their lives for all workers to receive fair pay and safe working conditions we have today. While the time line above ends in 1964, that is no way the end of the fight that started so long ago. Additional laws that the DOL has created and enforce include the Age Discrimination and Employment Act of 1967, the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (US Department of labor (n.d.). The timeline in this paper, points out one obvious fact, communication is the key to any type of dispute. It took employers, workers, and the government to listen to each other and work together, so workers would have the proper protection. Without all these groups working together, we may not have the privileges and protections that we do today. 6 References MacLaury, J (n.d.).A Brief History: The U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. Department of Labor. Retreived from: https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/history/dolhistoxford Seaquist, G. (2015). Employee and labor relations: A practical guide. San Diego: Bridgepoint Education. US Department of labor (n.d.). Summary of the major laws of the department of labor. U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved from https://www.dol.gov/general/aboutdol/majorlaws US Department of Labor (n.d.).Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Wage and Hour Division. U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved from: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa U.S. National Archives & Records Administration (n.d.).Act of July 2, 1890 (Sherman Anti- Trust Act), July 2, 1890; Enrolled Acts and Resolutions of Congress, 1789-1992; General Records of the United States Government; Record Group 11; National Archives.. Retrieved from: https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=true&doc=51
