Labor Relations During The New Deal Period
A Look at Labor Relations During the New Deal Period. As the Great Depression set in, Americans were looking for a savior. In 1932, they elected Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt as President of the United States. Roosevelt took office in March of 1933 and pledged himself to creating a New Deal for the citizens of the United States. Within days, he was fulfilling this pledge by pressing acts through Congress at a rapid rate. Many called this legislation an “alphabet soup” of acts that would bring relief, set regulations, and create public works initiatives unlike anyone had ever seen (Gordon 303). The most important act was the establishment of the National Industrial Recovery Act in May 1933. The NIRA created the National Recovery Administration headed by Hugh Johnson. The NRA established codes and regulations for labor, setteling precedents that continue to affect American workers today. Without the creation of this regulatory labor administration in the New Deal, the rights of the American worker would have continued to be suppressed. One of the most important provisions established in the National Industrial Recovery Act gave workers the right to join a union. The unions that were formed
The National Industrial Recovery Act, followed by the Wagner Act, gave workers the right to form unions. The New Deal moved toward the goal of directly guaranteeing every large business owner and every worker a clear return on his investment (Gordon 309). That meant that every worker would get paid amply according to the time they had invested in their job and that every employer would make a profit because their workers were happy and doing their jobs well to create the best product they could. Even though the NRA’s goals were full of economic inconsistencies, only a small number of people seemed uneasy about the act. Many even marveled at what the NRA had accomplished. One business lobbyist expressed his admiration by saying that the NRA had “the most widespread and splendid support from industrial groups throughout the country” (Gordon 315). This quote many seem false to those who saw the lack of compliance that many industries demonstrated in the beginning. However, the eventual cooperation of workers and employers demonstrates how effective the National Recovery Administration and the New Deal were in the American labor force. There are many similarities that arise between unions during the 1930s and the unions of today. One of the major problems is the possibility of strikes shutting down production for an entire industry. Today, America has seen the effects first hand in various strikes. One of the most significant was in the recent airline workers strike. When the major airlines shut down their operations, they affected the lives of all Americans that rely on air travel to maintain their standard of living. During the time of the New Deal, every industry was needed to pull America out of Depression. When an industry such as the steel industry was shut down during this time, it created a ripple effect that hurt every portion of the economy. It was important that during this time, production was maintained in every industry. This was the NIRA’s goal, but they were having a hard time maintaining the standards they had created. When union members realized the potential that their new rights gave them, they became confident in the fact that they could gain any concession they desired from their employer. The National Ind
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Approximate Word count = 1529
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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