page_title: Timeline of labour issues and events
section_title: 1940s
hierarchical_section_title: Timeline of labour issues and events / 1900–99 / 1940s
context_page_description: Timeline of trade union history
context_section_description: 1940 (United States)
  Philip Murray elected president of the Congress of Industrial Organizations replacing John L. Lewis.
  1940 (United States)
  Ford Motor Strike occurred.
  1941 (United States)
  Allis-Chalmers Strike occurred.
  1941 (United States)
  Captive Coal Mines Strike occurred.
  1941 (United States)
  Detroit, Michigan Hate Strike against African Americans occurred.
  1941 (United States)
  International Harvester Strike occurred.
  1941 (United States)
  New York City Bus Strike occurred.
  1941 (United States)
  North American Aviation Strike occurred.
  20 June 1941 (United States)
  Henry Ford recognizes the UAW.
  15 December 1941 (United States)
  The AFL pledges that there will be no strikes in defense-related industry plants for the duration of the war.
  1942 (United States)
  National War Labor Board was established; the NWLB established formula for wartime wage adjustments.
  1942 (United States)
  United Steel Workers of America founded.
  1943 (United States)
  Fair Employment Practices Commission founded.
  1943 (United States)
  Smith-Connolly Act passed by U.S. Congress.  Act restricts the extent of political activities and strikes by unions during the duration of the war.
  1943 (United States)
  Bituminous Coal Strike occurred.
  1943 (United States)
  Detroit, Michigan Hate Strike against African Americans occurred.
  1943 (United States)
  Detroit Race Riots against African Americans occurred.
  1944 (United States)
  Philadelphia Transit Strike occurred.
  28 December 1944 (United States)
  President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the Army to seize the executive offices of Montgomery Ward and Company after the corporation failed to comply with a National War Labor Board directive regarding union shops.
  1945 (INTERNATIONAL)
  International Federation of Trade Unions becomes the World Federation of Trade Unions
  1945 (United States)
  Kelsey-Hayes Strike occurred.
  1945 (United States)
  New York City Longshoremen's Strike occurred.
  1945 (United States)
  Montgomery Ward Strike occurred.
  1945 (United States)
  Oil Workers' Strike occurred.
  1946 (United States)
  Workers in packinghouses nation-wide went on strike.
  1946 (United States)
  Bituminous Coal Strike of 1946 occurred.
  1946 (United States)
  Electrical Manufacturing Strike occurred.
  1946 (United States)
  General Motors Strike occurred.
  1946 (United States)
  Pittsburgh Power Strike occurred.
  1946 (United States)
  Railroad Strike occurred.
  1946 (United States)
  Steel Strike of 1946 occurred.
  1 April 1946 (United States)
  A strike by 400,000 mine workers in the U.S. began. U.S. troops seized railroads and coal mines the following month.
  4 October 1946 (United States)
  The U.S. Navy seized oil refineries in order to break a 20-state post-war strike.
  1947 (United States)
  Taft–Hartley Act passed by U.S. Congress.  The Act restricted union practices and permitted states to ban union security agreements.
  1947 (United States)
  R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Strike occurred.
  1947 (United States)
  Telephone Strike occurred.
  20 June 1947 (United States)
  The Taft–Hartley Labor Act, curbing strikes, was vetoed by President Truman. Congress overrode the veto.
  1948 (United States)
  Progressive Party founded.
  20 April 1948 (United States)
  Labor leader Walter Reuther was shot and seriously wounded by would-be assassins.
  1949 (INTERNATIONAL)
  International Confederation of Free Trade Unions splits from the World Federation of Trade Unions
  1949 (United States)
  Congress of Industrial Organizations expelled two unions for alleged communist influence.
  1949 (United States)
  Hawaii Dock Strike occurred.
caption: Western Union A Labor Day Telegram to All Goodyearites from Forrestal Assistant Secretary of the Navy, Patterson Under Secretary of War, 3 September 1942
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