Work in progress — cycles are added one at a time. Every quote is machine-verified against an archived source; follow the links to read it.
Issues › Labor & Employment
Right to organize and bargain collectively
| Cycle | Candidate | Position | Solution | Strength | Attribution | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1932 | Herbert Hoover (Republican) | Collective bargaining by representatives of the employees' own choice, 'without the interference of any one' | Recognize and approve collective bargaining between responsible representatives of employers and employees chosen without interference; continue Republican-origin labor laws (eight-hour law on government work, mediation,… | directional_stance | party_platform | not_applicable |
| 1936 | Alf Landon (Republican) | Labor's right to organize in any union it prefers, free from coercion by employer, fellow employee or anyone else; organizers' lawful activity protected | Protect self-organization and collective bargaining 'without interference from any source', with the employee equally free to join or refuse to join absent a contract; after Norman Thomas's inquiry, affirm that organizer… | directional_stance | candidate_direct | not_applicable |
| 1936 | Alf Landon (Republican) | Government as umpire and mediator; develop conciliation instead of rushing disputes to the President's doorstep | Keep government in the position of umpire protecting the public interest and mediating between groups; build effective conciliation machinery. | vague_gesture | candidate_direct | not_applicable |
| 1936 | Franklin D. Roosevelt (Democratic) | Guard the worker's right to organize and bargain collectively | Keep the Wagner Act's guarantee of self-organization free from employer interference and the federal machinery for settling disputes; resist the 'labor spy' tactics of the pay-envelope campaign. | directional_stance | candidate_direct | kept |