* the Great Depression -- the New Deal -- Labor policy








The Great Depression: The New Deal--Labor Policy


i>Figure 1.--The New Deal's Labor's policy was two fold. First to stengthen labor's organizing and collective bargaining rights. Second to improve employment security though minimuma wages, unemployment insurance, old age pensions, and other Here workers at a Dole cannery in California during 1935. We are not sure just how WPA figured into the strike.

Labor made huge gains as a result of President Roosevelt's New Deal. The 1932 Presidential election of 1932 not only brought Presidebtial Roosevekt to poer, but maby liberal Democrats to Connfess. The 1934 Congessional electioins brought more liberal Democrats to Congress. One result was the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) commonly called the Wagner Act (1935). It was a turning point in Americam labor relations policy. It more than any other New Deal actioin commited Federal policy from a government policy of autonomy to involvement in spcietal issues. The Supreme Court struck down the National Inbdustrial Recovery Act (NIRA) which had included labor provisions. The NLRA was a reinstament of these provisions. At its heart the right of worlers organize trade unions to promoite their interests and engage in collective bargaining as well as industrialmactioinsd such as strikes. Cooprations no longer had the right to supress unions. Theodore Roosevely had moved Federal policy from supporting coporate supression to mediation. President Roodsevelt's New Deal to support of the union and protection from copporate domination. This was vital becuause the Depression and high unemployment had seriously weakened union organizing and bargaining power. New Deal labor law provided the legal protections needed to organize unions and to negotiate for higher wages and benefits as well as safer working conditions. Niotice that these were porivate sector unions, nor oublic secror unions. The New Deal helped estanlish a floor under labor standards in the United Srtares. It created a minimum wage and overtime protections that help lift the incomes of the lowest paid industrial workers. The Sicial Security Act helped establish unemployment insurance, guarantees for home mortgages, and financial support for poor families with children. Federal ppolicy thus combined labor organizing and Federal standards to expand the American middle class. These were for the most part imporant ans needed sreos. There was less understandfing that Amerucan workers were already the best paid workers in the world. And the ability of corpoearions to increase those wages and bebefits dependeed on the success of the corporations involved. The New Deal did much to imporive tge first part bof that proposition. It was far weaker on the second part of the equaion.







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Created: 7:09 AM 4/17/2020
Last updated: 7:09 AM 4/17/2020