Mechanic at textile mill at Patson, Pennsylvania.
The New Deal: The 1935 Wagner Act gave workers the right to form unions and bargain collectively. It also created the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to oversee union-certification votes and investigate unfair labor practices.
Today: The NLRB remains a functioning body, but the percentage of unionized laborers in the workforce has declined from a high of 27% in 1953 to 12% last year.
By Eric Dodds and Rebecca Kaplan