The Establishment Of Collective Bargaining Institution In The United States(1933-1947)

The United States solved labor disputes in the form of collective bargaining in 1799, however, American federal government did not recognize the principle of collective bargaining until the Congress passed National Industrial Recovery Act in 1933. At that time, the unions were too weak, coupled with the stimulation of the Great Depression, the federal government started intervening in labor relations. In order to remove obstacles to collective bargaining and protect the right of labor union and collective bargaining, the Congress passed the Wagner Act in 1935. The system of collective bargaining established formally. The Wagner Act was a product of its time when the administration and the public felt sympathy for labor and unilaterally limited employer’s practices, therefore, Antiunion power strongly opposed the act from the beginning. The Congress passed the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947, which amended the provisions of Wagner Act on union organizations and labor’s right. The Taft-Hartley Act radically changed right protection of labor organizing union and engaging in collective bargaining through representatives selected by their own, which provide by Wagner Act. From admitting and establishing the system of collective bargaining to adjusting it, the purpose of the federal government participating was to maintain the capitalism system.This paper consists of three parts, including introduction, main body and conclusion.The introduction illustrates the reasons for selecting the topic; introduces general situation of research on collective bargaining made by Chinese & American academic circles; clarifies the methods and significances of the paper.The main body includes three parts:The first part focus on historical reasons of the United States using collective bargaining policy to solve labor disputes. It divides into three sections, including the weakness of union movement, the mature of collective bargaining ideas, and the influence of the Great Depression and New Deal philosophy.The second part makes a detailed study of the establishment of collective bargaining system, using the National Industrial Recovery Act, the Wagner Act, and the Taft-Hartley Act to analysis the process of collective bargaining from recognizing to further expedition to limitation.The third part evaluates American collective bargaining system, involving the impacts on union development and employees’ rights, the impacts on employers, and the adjustment of government and the uniqueness of American collective bargaining.The conclusion emphasizes the main content, summarizes the main arguments, and highlights the uniqueness of collective bargaining of the United States.