Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 (Taft-Hartley Act): What Employers Need to Know for Compliance
If you’re searching for the labor management relations act of 1947, you likely need a practical explanation of what it is, how it changed U.S. labor law, and what it means for your workplace policies. The Labor Management Relations Act—often called the Taft-Hartley Act—amended the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and still shapes day-to-day labor management relations, especially for employers dealing with union activity, collective bargaining, and strikes.
This SwiftSDS guide focuses on actionable compliance steps for HR teams and business owners.
Define Taft Hartley Act: What the Labor Management Relations Act Does
To define Taft Hartley Act: the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 (Taft-Hartley) is a federal law that updated the NLRA by setting new rules for unions and employers, expanding employer rights in some areas, and imposing limits on certain union practices.
At a high level, the labor management relations act:
- Identifies and prohibits certain union unfair labor practices (ULPs)
- Clarifies the duty of both sides to bargain in good faith
- Regulates strikes, picketing, secondary boycotts, and jurisdictional disputes
- Allows the federal government to seek temporary injunctions in certain “national emergency” labor disputes (commonly discussed as Taft Hartley Act 90 days)
- Permits states to pass “right-to-work” laws (addressing union-security arrangements)
For broader federal labor law context, SwiftSDS maintains an overview hub at Employment legislation list.
Why the Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 Still Matters
Even if your organization isn’t unionized, the NLRA (as amended by Taft-Hartley) can apply to most private-sector employers and protects employees’ rights to engage in “concerted activities” about workplace conditions.
Taft-Hartley matters because it influences:
- How you respond to organizing campaigns
- What supervisors can and cannot say during union activity
- What counts as interference, coercion, or unlawful retaliation
- The legality of certain strike and picketing activity
- Your obligations during collective bargaining
For a practical foundation on employee protections, see 5 rights of workers.
Key Employer-Facing Rules Under the Labor Management Relations Act
Union unfair labor practices (ULPs) added by Taft-Hartley
The NLRA originally focused heavily on employer ULPs. The labor management relations act added union-side ULPs, such as restrictions around:
- Secondary boycotts and certain forms of secondary pressure
- Jurisdictional strikes (disputes between unions about which union performs particular work)
- Certain types of picketing aimed at forcing recognition where another union is already certified or where an election is required
- Refusal to bargain in good faith
Compliance takeaway: When disputes arise, document what conduct is occurring (who, what, when, where) and work with labor counsel early. Many Taft-Hartley issues are fact-specific and time-sensitive before the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).
Collective bargaining obligations and good-faith negotiations
Taft-Hartley reinforced the duty to bargain in good faith. Good-faith bargaining generally includes meeting at reasonable times, exchanging proposals, and engaging in genuine discussion over mandatory subjects such as wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
If you need a deeper primer on bargaining concepts and contract administration, SwiftSDS covers the fundamentals in Collective bargaining.
Actionable steps for HR:
- Maintain a bargaining calendar and track proposal exchange dates.
- Train your bargaining team on “mandatory vs. permissive” topics.
- Preserve written records (proposals, notes, ground rules, caucus summaries).
- Keep frontline supervisors aligned—misstatements can create bargaining complications.
Employer communications during organizing (and supervisor training)
One of the most common employer risks in labor management relations is what managers say during organizing activity. While employers can share opinions in many situations, they cannot threaten, interrogate, promise benefits, or surveil employees based on protected activity.
Actionable steps:
- Train supervisors on lawful communications and escalation pathways.
- Centralize messaging through HR/legal.
- Avoid policy changes that appear timed to influence organizing (even if well-intended).
For a broader set of HR-facing compliance topics beyond labor relations (wage/hour, leave, discrimination, etc.), see Employment law topics.
Taft Hartley Act 90 Days: What It Means (National Emergency Injunctions)
The phrase “Taft Hartley Act 90 days” typically refers to the law’s “national emergency” provisions. In limited circumstances—generally where a strike or lockout imperils national health or safety—the federal government may seek a court injunction to pause the work stoppage for an 80-day “cooling-off” period (often rounded in casual discussion), while mediation and fact-finding occur.
What employers should do if a high-impact dispute escalates:
- Engage experienced labor counsel immediately.
- Ensure contingency planning for operations and safety (but avoid retaliatory actions).
- Track communications and bargaining history—these matters are scrutinized.
- Coordinate with counsel before contacting federal agencies or mediators.
Union Security and Right-to-Work: Multi-State Compliance Considerations
The labor management relations act permits certain union-security arrangements (like union membership or dues requirements) unless prohibited by state law. Section 14(b) allows states to enact right-to-work laws that restrict union-security agreements.
Compliance takeaway for multi-state employers: The legality of union-security clauses can vary by location. Build a location-based compliance approach, including posting and notice obligations.
SwiftSDS helps employers stay aligned with jurisdiction-specific requirements. Start with Federal (United States) Posting Requirements and then drill into local pages when you have operations in specific areas—e.g., Lawrence County, AL Posting Requirements or Hatton, Lawrence County, AL Posting Requirements.
Practical Compliance Checklist for HR and Business Owners
Use this short list to reduce risk under the labor management relations act and improve labor management relations:
- Supervisor training: Refresh annually and before known organizing activity. Include what to do if employees ask questions about unions.
- Policy review: Ensure handbook policies (solicitation, distribution, confidentiality, social media) don’t unlawfully chill protected concerted activity.
- Documentation discipline: Keep consistent performance documentation—avoid “sudden enforcement” during protected activity.
- Bargaining readiness: If you have a union, maintain updated management proposals, costings, and a bargaining authority framework.
- Posting and notices: While Taft-Hartley itself is not a general workplace posting statute like the FLSA, most employers still have federal and state posting duties that often arise in the same compliance program.
For example, wage and hour posting is commonly required under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Many employers satisfy this via the official DOL posters such as Employee Rights Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (and, if applicable, the Spanish version Derechos de los Trabajadores Bajo la Ley de Normas Justas de Trabajo (FLSA)). For more on the underlying law, see Fair labour standards act.
How Taft-Hartley Fits with Other Workplace Compliance Duties
Labor relations compliance doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Employees involved in organizing are often also raising issues tied to discrimination, accommodation, wage/hour, or leave.
SwiftSDS resources that frequently intersect with labor management relations include:
- as it pertains to employment opportunity the eeo strives to for EEO principles that may surface in workplace complaints
- ada hr and ada forms for employers for accommodation process fundamentals
- are contractors eligible for fmla for classification and leave questions that can trigger workplace disputes
Keeping these programs aligned helps reduce friction and supports healthier labor management relations.
FAQ: Labor Management Relations Act (Taft-Hartley)
What is the labor management relations act of 1947 in simple terms?
It’s a federal law that amended the NLRA by limiting certain union practices, clarifying collective bargaining obligations, and creating mechanisms (including national emergency procedures) to manage labor disputes.
What does “Taft Hartley Act 90 days” refer to?
It commonly refers to the law’s national emergency provisions allowing the federal government to seek a temporary injunction and “cooling-off” period to pause a strike or lockout that threatens national health or safety (often discussed as about 90 days in general conversation).
Does Taft-Hartley apply to non-union workplaces?
Many parts of the NLRA framework, as amended, can still matter because employees may have protected rights to discuss wages and working conditions and engage in concerted activity—even without a union. Policies and supervisor conduct should be reviewed with that in mind.
SwiftSDS supports ongoing compliance by tying federal labor law requirements to clear posting, documentation, and jurisdiction-based guidance. For a broader view of federal requirements beyond the labor management relations act, explore Employment law topics and Employment legislation list.