Unfair Union Labor Practices

The Taft–Hartley Act enumerated several labor practices that unions were prohibited from. First, it banned unions from restraining or coercing employees from exercising their guaranteed bargaining rights. It is an unfair labor practice for a union to refuse to bargain in good faith with the employer about wages, hours, and other employment conditions. The Taft–Hartley Act also explicitly gave employers certain rights. First, it gave them full freedom to express their views concerning union organization.

Employers can set forth the union’s record concerning violence and corruption, if appropriate. The Taft–Hartley Act also allows the U.S. president to intervene in national emergency strikes. These are strikes (for example, by railroad workers) that might imperil the national health and safety. In the 1950s, Senate investigations revealed unsavory practices on the part of some unions, and the result was the Landrum–Griffin Act (officially, the Labor Management Reporting and Disclosure Act) of 1959.

The act contains a bill of rights for union members. It affirms a member’s right to sue the union and ensures that the union cannot fine or suspend a member without due process. This act also laid out rules regarding union elections. For example, national and international unions must elect officers at least once every 5 years, using a secret-ballot mechanism. Landrum–Griffin therefore expanded the list of unlawful employer actions.