Today in labor history: Fair Labor Standards Act signed by Roosevelt

June 25, 2014 3:56 PM CST By Special to People’s World

On this day in 1938 President Roosevelt signed the Fair Labor Standards Act. The new law established a shorter work week (44 hours), prohibited child labor, set a minimum wage and provided time and one-half for overtime.

Senator Hugo Black, author of the law, initially proposed a 30-hour week. Close to 700,000 workers were benefited from the legislation.

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Special to People’s World

People’s World is a voice for progressive change and socialism in the United States. It provides news and analysis of, by, and for the labor and democratic movements to our readers across the country and around the world. People’s World traces its lineage to the Daily Worker newspaper, founded by communists, socialists, union members, and other activists in Chicago in 1924.