National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) (1935)

1) Link to the Text of the Act
Read the statute (29 U.S.C. § 151 et seq.)

2) Why It Was Done
The NLRA was enacted to protect employees’ rights to organize, form unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action, including strikes, in order to balance the power between employers and workers.

3) Pre-existing Law or Constitutional Rights
Before the NLRA, union activity was often suppressed through injunctions and antitrust laws. The 1926 Railway Labor Act gave some protections, but coverage was limited. The NLRA provided nationwide labor rights for most private-sector employees.