Taft-Hartley Act

[ taft-hahrt-lee ]

noun

1. an act of the U.S. Congress (1947) that supersedes but continues most of the provisions of the National Labor Relations Act and that, in addition, provides for an eighty-day injunction against strikes that endanger public health and safety and bans closed shops, featherbedding, secondary boycotts, jurisdictional strikes, and certain other union practices.

Taft-Hartley Act

1. A major law concerning labor , passed by Congress in 1947. President Harry S. Truman vetoed Taft-Hartley ( see veto ), but it became law by a two-thirds vote of Congress. It marked a reversal of the pro-labor policies pursued under the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt . For example, the law prohibited a list of “unfair” labor practices and restricted the political activities of labor unions .

Example Sentences

Her boss, President Joe Biden, does have authority under the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act to intervene in mass work stoppages that could lead to a national emergency, if the situation is so deemed; that power was last invoked by President George W. Bush, who sued to break the West Coast dockworkers strike in late 2002 after a punishing stock-market downturn.

From Slate

Even now, the government can invoke the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, which allows the president to ask a court to order an 80-day cooling-off period when public health or safety is at risk.

From Salon

The Biden administration has said that it is not considering invoking the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act to break a strike, but analysts say it may have little choice if it is not settled soon, given the potential economic and political damage it could cause.

From Los Angeles Times

Biden can use federal labor law enshrined in the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947 to force the longshoremen back to work for 80 days, during which negotiations may continue.

From Salon

The Biden White House has said that it is not considering invoking the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act to break a strike should one occur.

From Los Angeles Times