Historical record / United States
The terms of work
were made by people.
A selective timeline of the institutions and disputes that shaped collective bargaining. Each entry links to a statute, public record or contract account.
Source review: September 9, 2026 · Historical context, not current legal advice
Organizing receives federal protection
The NLRA establishes federal protection for covered workers’ organizing and collective bargaining, with significant exclusions.
Read the source: National ArchivesTaft-Hartley changes the bargaining rules
Congress restricts secondary boycotts, prohibits closed shops and excludes supervisors from bargaining units.
Read the source: National Labor Relations BoardUnion governance and tactics change
Landrum-Griffin adds member rights and reporting duties while tightening restrictions on some union activity.
Read the source: National Labor Relations BoardThe PATCO confrontation
The federal government dismisses striking air traffic controllers. Federal and private-sector labor law remain distinct.
Read the source: Ronald Reagan Presidential LibraryBargaining addresses generative AI
The WGA agreement sets terms for AI-generated material and AI use on covered projects.
Read the source: Writers Guild of America
What this timeline leaves out
The history is broader than federal law. It includes organizing before statutory protection, exclusion by race and gender, public-sector movements, worker centers, migration, industrial change and the experience of workers outside standard employment. This timeline is a documented starting point, not a claim that these events alone caused today’s economy.