Which act is commonly cited as shaping postwar labor relations by restricting unions?

• A. Wagner Act
• B. Taft-Hartley Act
• C. National Labor Relations Act
• D. Fair Labor Standards Act

Answer: (B)

The postwar shift in labor relations was driven by a law that restricted union power and gave government and employers more leverage. The Taft-Hartley Act, passed in 1947, did just that. It barred several union practices it labeled unfair, outlawed closed shops in many situations, and allowed states to pass right-to-work laws. It also targeted union activities like secondary boycotts and certain jurisdictional strikes, and it gave the president authority to order a cooling-off period to delay strikes in essential industries. Together, these provisions reduced the power of unions and rebalanced the dynamics among workers, employers, and the government in the postwar era.

By contrast, the Wagner Act (National Labor Relations Act) from the 1930s protected the right to organize and bargain collectively, strengthening unions rather than restraining them. The Fair Labor Standards Act deals with wages and hours, not union restrictions, and the National Labor Relations Act is another name for the Wagner Act.