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Labor, United States Department of

(Encyclopedia)Labor, United States Department of, federal executive department established in 1913 and charged with administering and enforcing statutes that promote the welfare of U.S. wage earners, improve their ...

Danbury Hatters' Case

(Encyclopedia)Danbury Hatters' Case, decided in 1908 by the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1902 the hatters' union instituted a nationwide boycott of the products of a nonunion hat manufacturer in Danbury, Conn., and the m...

minimum wage

(Encyclopedia)minimum wage, lowest wage legally permitted in an industry or in a government or other organization. The goal in establishing minimum wages has been to assure wage earners a standard of living above t...

Comprehensive Employment and Training Act

(Encyclopedia)Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA), U.S. government program designed to assist economically disadvantaged, unemployed, or underemployed persons. Enacted in 1973, CETA provided block gran...

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act

(Encyclopedia)Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act: see food adulteration. ...

sweating system

(Encyclopedia)sweating system, method of exploiting labor by supplying materials to workers and paying by the piece (see piecework) for work done on those materials in the workers' homes or in small workshops (swea...

Richberg, Donald Randall

(Encyclopedia)Richberg, Donald Randall, 1881–1960, American public official, b. Knoxville, Tenn. He practiced law in Chicago, served as attorney for the city and for Illinois, and became nationally known after sp...

piecework

(Encyclopedia)piecework, work for which the laborer is paid on the basis of the amount of work done. The system is best adapted to standardized operations in which quantity is preferred to quality. Its advocates ma...

Truman, Harry S.

(Encyclopedia)Truman, Harry S., 1884–1972, 33d President of the United States, b. Lamar, Mo. Truman remained active in politics for many years after his retirement, campaigning around the country for Democrat...

Interstate Commerce Commission

(Encyclopedia)Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC), former independent agency of the U.S. government, established in 1887; it was charged with regulating the economics and services of specified carriers engaged in ...