National Labor Relations Act

Synonyms

LMRA; NLRA; Wagner Act

Definition

The Law governing private sector labor (union-management) relations in most industries.

Introduction

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA or the Act) is the law that governs union management relations in the majority of private sector industries in the Unites States. The heart of the Act is Section 7, which grants employees rights that fall into three categories: (1) the right to form, join, and assist labor unions, (2) the right to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and (3) the right to engage in concerted activities for the purposes of collective bargaining or other mutual aid and protection. Section 7 also grants employees the right to refrain from any of those. The Act is administered by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

This entry will discuss labor or the Board law in the United States prior to the passage of the NLRA and the passage of the NLRA itself. This will be followed by a discussion of...