Which U.S. labor agency was established by the National Labor Relations Act to administer federal collective-bargaining law?

The National Labor Relations Board was established to administer federal collective-bargaining law under the National Labor Relations Act.

The board is an independent federal agency that conducts union representation elections, investigates unfair labor-practice allegations, and issues decisions in cases involving employers, unions, and workers. The National Labor Relations Act, also called the Wagner Act, became law in 1935.

The NLRB’s jurisdiction generally covers private-sector employers and employees who fall within the act’s coverage. It does not function as a general labor inspector for every workplace issue; matters such as minimum-wage violations and workplace safety are handled by other agencies.

The board’s structure and authority have changed through later amendments and court decisions. The Taft–Hartley Act of 1947, for example, added restrictions on unions and amended the original labor-relations framework.