Protecting Workers

AFTER THE CIVIL WAR, the United States continued with an accelerated industrial revolution. The steel industry, the oil industry, the coal industry, the automotive industry all took off like rockets, drawing poor workers to the cities and factories. An urban labor class developed, and with it the labor union movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Corporate ownership was not about to stop mercilessly exploiting labor without a fight; labor management relations were violent during this period. Finally, in 1933, the National Labor Relations Board was established to provide oversight of union elections, and to prosecute violations by employers of fair labor practice laws. The NLRB has recently announded its intention of prosecuting Wal Mart, Inc. for violations of the fair labor act. You may recall that over the past few months there has been considerable controversy over Wal Mart's treatment, specifically its wages, of low level workers. On several occasions Wal Mart employees have staged union-like protests, temporary works stoppages, with sign waving, and such. The NLRB accuses Wal Mart of retaliating against the associates who participated in these events in various ways; reduction of hours, particularly. Wal mart corporate management, of course, vehemently denies all charges. There is a movment, among fast food workers and Wal Mart employees, to seek a living wage of fifteen dollars an hour. Will this movement get support from the various labor unions? The NLRB might force Wal Mart into a plea bargain, to pay a fine, and stop mistreating workers. Free marketeers might oppose government regulation of the economy, but who would stop huge corporations from mistreating workers, if not the government? (there is no wal mart workers union).