Legal Definitions - Taft–Hartley Act

The Taft–Hartley Act, also known as the Labor–Management Relations Act, is a federal law that was passed in 1947. It regulates certain activities of labor unions and provides guidelines for resolving labor disputes.

Under the Taft-Hartley Act, unions are prohibited from engaging in certain strikes and boycotts. For example, wildcat strikes, which are unauthorized strikes by union members, are illegal under the law. The act also allows individuals to sue unions for certain prohibited activities, such as secondary boycotts.

The Taft-Hartley Act also provides steps for resolving labor disputes that involve national emergencies. For example, if a strike threatens national security or public health and safety, the President can intervene and order the workers back to work for a specified period of time.

Overall, the Taft-Hartley Act is designed to balance the power between labor unions and employers, and to ensure that labor disputes are resolved in a fair and orderly manner.