Adamson Act

The Adamson Act was a United States federal law passed in 1916 that established an eight-hour workday, with additional pay for overtime work, for railroad workers. This was the first federal law that regulated the hours of workers in private companies. The United States Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the Act in "Wilson v. New", ussc|243|332|1917.

Congress passed the Act in order to avoid a nationwide strike. When the railroads refused to abide by the law while their court challenge to its constitutionality was pending, the railway unions began preparing again to strike. The Supreme Court's decision brought the employers around, however, and they entered into settlement discussions concerning implementation of the law.

The unions' success spurred other railway employees not covered by the Act to press similar demands. Their negotiations were leading to a strike when President Wilson, exercising the authority granted by the Army Appropriations Act of 1916, took over operation of the railroads.

With the emergence of the Red Scare, they feared that the unemployed people would start supporting communism and then communism would develop in the US. As a result, the 8 hour work day (Adamson Act) was repealed. Fact|date=March 2008