National War Labor Board
The National War Labor Board (NWLB) was established in 1942 during World War II to address labor-management issues and ensure the smooth operation of industry amidst wartime demands. Modeled after a similar board from World War I, the NWLB aimed to prevent labor unrest and maintain production by mediating disputes between workers and employers. Comprising twelve members—equally representing labor, management, and public officials—the board played a crucial role in setting wage rates and facilitating negotiations. Although it faced challenges due to its limited capacity, particularly in addressing grievances in Southern industries, the NWLB provided a significant platform for the American labor movement to influence federal policies. The board's efforts resulted in notable advancements in labor-management relations, despite many of these gains being diminished after its dissolution in 1945. Overall, the NWLB's legacy reflects a critical period in labor history, highlighting the complexities of negotiation and representation during a time of national crisis.
National War Labor Board
Identification Federal government wartime agency
Also Known As War Labor Board
Date Established on January 12, 1942
The National War Labor Board was a World War II-era government agency created to maintain industrial production during wartime by mediating labor disputes and preventing strikes and lockouts. The NWLB did not always succeed in its mission, but it helped create lasting advances in labor-management relations.
The National War Labor Board (NWLB), created in 1942 to address labor-management issues in industry during World War II, was modeled closely on its World War I predecessor. The first NWLB was intended to maintain industrial production during the war and to prevent labor unrest. Composed of ten representatives, evenly divided between labor and management, the first NWLB pioneered significant advances in labor-management relations, most of which were lost after the organization’s dissolution.
When the United States entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established a new NWLB by executive order on January 12, 1942. The new board had twelve members, divided equally among public officials and representatives of organized labor and business. The organization’s purpose was to set wage rates and peacefully negotiate labor-management disputes. The NWLB also gave the American labor movement an unprecedented voice in shaping federal policy.
Impact
The NWLB had a limited impact on wartime industry. Although the board opened regional offices in 1943, it remained overextended and was unable to handle all of the labor-related grievances, which enabled employers, especially those in the South, to resist unionization. Nonetheless, the NWLB, which disbanded in 1945, produced more lasting advances in labor-management relations than its World War I counterpart.
Bibliography
Atleson, James B. Labor and the Wartime State: Labor Relations and the Law During World War II. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1998.
Kersten, Andrew W. Labor’s Home Front: The American Federation of Labor During World War II. New York: New York University Press, 2006.