Smith-Connally Act
The Smith-Connally Act, enacted during World War II, was a significant piece of legislation aimed at maintaining war production amidst labor unrest. With many labor groups pushing for better wages and safer working conditions through strikes, the U.S. Congress responded by passing this act to prevent disruptions in war-related industries. The act provided the President with the authority to seize and operate private war plants facing potential strikes and mandated that unions give thirty days' notice before striking, leading to financial liabilities for noncompliance. Notably, President Franklin D. Roosevelt initially vetoed the bill due to its implications for labor rights, but Congress overrode his veto, marking a pivotal moment in wartime governance. Although the act was designed to expire six months after the war's conclusion, it had lasting effects on the expansion of executive power in emergencies and served as a precursor to the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, which further regulated labor union activities. The Smith-Connally Act highlights the complex interactions between labor rights and national priorities during a critical period in American history.
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Smith-Connally Act
The Law Federal legislation designed to prevent labor strikes that would disrupt war production
Also Known As War Labor Disputes Act; Smith-Connally Anti-Strike Act
Date Became law on June 25, 1943
The Smith-Connally Act helped enable the American war industry to produce twice as much as all enemy countries combined by 1944.
At the time of World War II, many American labor groups involved in war production performed jobs with tremendous risks and undesirable wages. Labor unions sought to remedy these conditions through strikes. The U.S. Congress, however, with the backing of the general population, passed the Smith-Connally Act in order to prevent strikes and to continue war production without disruption. Partly because of his ties with labor organizations and a clause in the bill that forbade union contributions to political campaigns, President Franklin D. Roosevelt vetoed the bill. For the first time during the war, Congress overrode Roosevelt’s veto.
The act gave the president the power to seize and operate any private war plant that was threatened by strikes. Also, all war industry unions were forced to give thirty days notice of intent to strike or else be held financially liable for all damages. Using this executive power, President Roosevelt and his successor, Harry S. Truman, seized numerous war plants that were on the verge of strike.
Impact
Although the act expired six months after the end of the war, as designed, it had numerous lasting impacts. Most important, it helped expand the idea of executive power in times of emergency. It also was a precursor to the Taft-Hartley Act of 1947, which further regulated labor union action.
Bibliography
Kersten, Andrew. Labor’s Home Front: The American Federation of Labor During World War II. New York: New York University Press, 2006.
Mayer, Kenneth. With the Stroke of a Pen: Executive Orders and Presidential Power. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2002.