The Wagner Act is a United States labor regulation that protects employees in the private sector from exploitation by employers. The act empowers the private sector employees to form trade unions to help them bargain for better terms of service. Therefore, they may engage in collective bargaining with the employer. In addition, it empowers them to organize collective activities such as industrial action, a boycott, or a strike if the employer fails to meet their demands. The act bred the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
The board’s duty is to organize elections and engage employers in bargaining. However, the act does not cover employees protected by the Railways Labor Act. Other groups, which the act does not cover, include domestic and industrial workers, independent contractors, and government employees. In addition, it defines unacceptable activities by employers against employees. It bars them from boycotting discussions at the collective bargaining table.
Therefore, they should take part in the bargaining process in case of a misunderstanding with the employees. The act warns them against segregating workers who file a lawsuit or act as witnesses in a court of law. Similarly, they should not discriminate against them for joining a registered trade union.
The Taft-Hartley act examines the operations of the trade unions in terms of how they exercise their powers. The act gives the president the mandate to appoint a committee to carry out investigations regarding a dispute in the trade union. The mandate is only valid if the proposed strike poses a serious security threat to the country. In addition, it prohibits trade unions from siding with a particular political affiliation. The act illegalizes secondary boycotts and bars the employer from collecting union dues. Finally, it legalizes union shops in exclusive cases where a higher percentage of employees vote in their favor.
Managers should know that the Wagner act protects employees in the private sector from exploitation. Therefore, they should always involve them when making serious decisions that affect them. Moreover, they should be aware that their positions as managers do not shield them from prosecution. Similarly, their titles do not deter an employee from testifying in a court of law.