Brief Facts about Labor Unions in the US

1) Largest Federation of Unions is the AFL-CIO ( American Federation of Labor- Congress of

Industrial Organizations): Comparable to the UGT. Tend to support the Democratic Party, in
the much the same way the UGT tends to support the PSOE.
2) There is no organization comparable to the CNT
3) Wagner Act: Established the National Labor Relations Board. The NLRB is the main body of
arbitration in labor disputes. The Wagner Act also restricted workers to one representative
bargaining agent, i.e. agent, per place of work.
4) Norris-LaGuardia Act: Made illegal yellow dog contracts ( employment contracts that require
workers to agree not to organize into a union in order to be hired).
5) There are some restrictions on strikes in the US: In most cities police, fire department,
sanitation workers, and others who are deemed to be essential personnel are not allowed to
strike.
6) In many cities in the US teachers in public schools are required to join the union: The two main
teachers’ unions in the US are the UFT and the NEA.

Vocabulary

Union shop

Sit-down strike

Walk Out

Scab

Arbitration

Yellow Dog Contracts

Independent Contractors