From National Industrial Recovery Act To National Labour Relations Act

In recent years, labour unions has declined in the USA.Union membership is less than ten percent now, far below its peak of thirty-four percent in1954. To understand the causes of the decline in union membership it is critical to return to the period of the original growth in union power:that is, to the New Deal.The first development of American labour unions benefits from labour legislation in the New Deal. Two of the most important labour legislation are National Industrial Recovery Act in1933and National Labour Relations Act in1935, which has granted labours the right to form unions and collective bargaining. America thus has initially formed the tripartite coordination mechanism:labour cooperate with management under the supervision of the government. The labour legislation in the New Deal has two important features:First, the labour legislation includes both labour policy and antitrust policy, and the goals of labor policy were consistent with the goals of antitrust policy. Secondly, it reflects the spirit of corporatism. However,such labour legislation is dispelled gradually after the Korean War. American economy shifts from a corporatist to a highly competitive one, which is disadvantageous to labour unions.With the studies of the New Deal,we can conclude that state power especially administrative power usually expand during the social construction. Without the development of democracy and the rule of law, it may lead to autocracy and even totalitarianism.Full-text is divided into the following sections:Preliminary describes the research purposes, the relevant areas of research situation and research significance.The first part of this paper analyzes the background of Roosevelt’s New Deal. The great economic crisis of1929-1933triggered a political crisis in America. Hoover’s response to the crisis measures failed.The progressive movement provided the ideological foundation to the New Deal.The second part describes National Industrial Recovery Act and National Labour Relations Act. These two acts have granted labours right to form unions and collective bargaining, which is very important to trade unions.The third part analyses the features of labour legislation in New Deal. First, the labour legislation includes both labour policy and antitrust policy;Secondly, it reflects the spirit of corporatism.Conclusion Part four concludes that state power especially administrative power usually expand during the social construction. Without the development of democracy and the rule of law, it may lead to autocracy and even totalitarianism.