What is the primary role of the National Labor Relations Act?

The National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), enacted in 1935, was designed primarily to protect the rights of employees in the private sector to organize into trade unions, engage in collective bargaining, and take collective action. The law ensures that workers can form, join, or assist labor organizations without fear of interference or discrimination from their employers. This is a fundamental aspect of promoting fair labor practices and supporting employees in negotiating better working conditions, wages, and benefits through their chosen representatives.

The other options do not accurately describe the primary focus of the NLRA. Providing unemployment benefits, regulating wages and hours, and enforcing workplace safety standards are all important elements of labor law and worker protections, but they fall under other statutes and regulations, such as the Unemployment Insurance program, the Fair Labor Standards Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, respectively. The essence of the NLRA lies specifically in its role in protecting the rights of workers to organize and advocate for their interests collectively.