SECTION 2 LEGISLATIVE ACTION AFFECTING LABOR, 1789-1966 Fortieth Congress (first session, March 4-December 2, 1867; second session, December 2, 1867-November 10, 1868; third session, December 7, 1868March 3, 1869) EIGHT-HOUR DAY FOR GOVERNMENT LABORERS AND MECHANICS FIRST SESSION H.R. 103-Sets 8-hour workday for Government laborers, workmen and mechanics. Introduced in House and passed same day, p. 425 (apparently this bill never went to committee). Referred to Senate Committee on Finance, p. 414. SECOND SESSION H.R. 103-See above. In Senate, committee discharged, p. 4197. H.R. 365-Same as H.R. 103. Eight-hour law. Passed House, p. 336 (no committee reference). Passed Senate, p. 3466 (no committee reference). Approved, p. 3731. Forty-first Congress (first session, March 4-April 22, 1869; second session, December 6, 1869-July 15, 1870; third session, December 5, 1870-March 3, 1871) EIGHT-HOUR DAY FOR GOVERNMENT LABORERS AND MECHANICS FIRST SESSION H.R. 74 (House joint resolution)-To regulate the hours of labor of Government laborers, workmen, and mechanics. (This resolution construes the House joint resolution of June 25, 1868, reducing work hours of Government laborers, etc., to eight per day to effect that said reduction shall not mean a corresponding reduction of wages.) Referred to Naval Affairs, p. 506; reported p. 637; passed House, p. 637. Tabled in Senate, p. 653. THIRD SESSION H.R. 72-House joint resolution-this was substituted for H.J. Res. 74 in the House; identical provisions. In Senate referred to Education and Labor, p. 55. Reported, p. 1417. Forty-second Congress, (first session, March 4, 1871-May 27, 1871; second session, December 4, 1871-June 10, 1872; third session, December 4, 1872March 3, 1873) COMMISSION ON LABOR SECOND SESSION H.R. 374-To provide for appointment of a commission on the subject of labor, including wages and hours, and the division of profits between labor and capital in the United States. Reported from Education and Labor, p. 102. Passed House, p. 258. Referred to Senate Committee on Education and Labor, p. 293 and reported therefrom, p. 425 (with amendinent). THIRD SESSION Passed over in Senate, p. 75. CONTRACTS FOR SERVILE LABOR H.R. 755-To prohibit contracts for servile labor. Referred to Judiciary, p. 199. THIRD SESSION Reported and recommitted, p. 1295 (with amendments). Forty-fifth Congress (first session, October 15-December 3, 1877; second session December 3, 1877-June 20, 1878; third session, December 2, 1878-March 3 1879) EIGHT-HOUR DAY FOR GOVERNMENT LABORERS AND MECHANICS SECOND SESSION S. 941-Sets 8-hour workday for Government laborers, workmen, etc. Reported from Education and Labor adversely, p. 3739. Forty-eighth Congress (first session, December 3, 1883-July 7, 1884; second session, December 1, 1884-March 3, 1885) HIRING OUT OF PRISONERS FIRST SESSION H.R. 995-Forbids United States Government to hire out its prisoners. Reported with amendments from Labor (H. Rept. 1064), p. 2474. H.R. 5694-To prohibit working of Federal prisoners more than 10 hours per day. Introduced by Committee on Revision of Laws (H. Rept. 746), p. 1720. FOREIGN CONTRACT LABOR S. 2042-Prohibits importation of foreign contract labor. Reported from Education and Labor, p. 3379. H.R. 2550-Same. Reported back with amendments from Labor (H. Rept. 444), p. 1318. Passed House, p. 5349. Referred to Foreign Relations, p. 5430. Reference changed to Education and Labor, p. 5439. Reported back (S. Rept. 820). SECOND SESSION H.R. 2550-See above. Amended and passed Senate, p. 1840. House concurs in Senate amendments, p. 2302. Approved, p. 2409. EIGHT-HOUR DAY FOR LABORERS ON PUBLIC WORKS S. 141-To fix at 8 hours per day hours of work of laborers on United States public works. Reported with amendments from Education and Labor, p. 843. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS FIRST SESSION H.R. 1340-To establish Bureau of Labor Statistics (this bureau was merged into the Department of Labor which was created in 1888, q.v.). Reported with amendment from Labor (H. Rept. 342), p. 1066. Amended and passed House, p. 3139. Referred to Education and Labor, p. 3169. Reported back, p. 3379. Amended and passed Senate, p. 4430. House disagrees with Senate amendment, p. 4811. Conference report made and agreed to, p. 5516. Approved by President, p. 5755. Forty-ninth Congress (first session, December 7, 1885-August 5, 1886; Special session, March 4-April 2, 1885; second session, December 6, 1886-March 3, 1887) INCORPORATION OF TRADE UNIONS FIRST SESSION S. 1657-To legalize the incorporation of national trade unions. Reported with amendments from Education and Labor, p. 2985. Amended and passed Senate, p. 5447. Passed House, p. 5565. Approved, p. 6266. H.R. 7621-Same. Reported from Labor (H. Rept. 2699), p. 5155. DISPUTES BETWEEN COMMON CARRIERS AND EMPLOYEES FIRST SESSION H.R. 7479-To provide for speedy settlement of disputes between common carriers engaged in interstate commerce and their employees. Introduced by Committee on Labor (H. Rept. 1447) as substitute for other bills. Passed House, p. 3066. Referred to Education and Labor, p. 3106. Reported back, p. 3139. SECOND SESSION H.R. 7479-Same. Passed Senate, p. 1431. Examined and signed, p. 2440. EMPLOYMENT OF CONVICT AND ALIEN LABOR ON PUBLIC WORKS FIRST SESSION H.R. 5541-To bar employment of convict labor and alien labor on United States public works. Introduced by Committee on Labor (H. Rept. 369) as substitute for other bills. Passed House, p. 6995. H.R. 9232-To prohibit importation of alien contract labor. Reported from Labor (H. Rept. 2901), p. 5866. Passed House, p. 6995. Referred to Education and Labor, p. 7037. Reported back, p. 7428. SECOND SESSION H.R. 5541-See above. Reported back (S. Rept. 1969), p. 2319. Passed Senate, p. 2377. Examined and signed, p. 2439. H.R. 9232-See above. Passed Senate, p. 1435. Approved, p. 2222. HIRING OUT OF PRISONERS FIRST SESSION H.R. 1622-Forbids United States Government to hire out its prisoners for labor. Reported from Labor (H. Rept. 217), p. 1104. Passed House, p. 2227. Referred to Education and Labor, p. 2246. H.R. 1622-See above. Passed Senate, p. 1478. SECOND SESSION Reported back (S. Rept. 1691), p. 793. Approved, p. 2222. Fiftieth Congress (first session, December 5, 1887-October 20, 1888; second session, December 3, 1888–March 2, 1889) TO ESTABLISH DEPARTMENT OF LABOR FIRST SESSION H.R. 8560-To establish a Department of Labor under the direction of a Commissioner of Labor without Cabinet rank (the Bureau of Labor Statistics, established in 1884, was merged in this new Department). Reported with amendment (H. Rept. 1199) from Labor, p. 2264. Amended and passed House, p. 3096. Referred to Education and Labor, p. 3140. Reported back, p. 3549. Amended and passed Senate, p. 4507. House nonconcurs in Senate amendments, p. 4578. Conference appointed, p. 4507. Conference report made and agreed to, p. 4744. Approved, p. 5371 (June 13, 1888). |