On this day in Labor History the year was 1993.
That was the day that President Bill Clinton signed into law reforms to the Hatch Act.
The Hatch Act was passed in 1939.
It limited the political activity of federal employees.
The act was passed due to accusations of alleged political cronyism by Democrats on New Deal projects.
Half a century later, Congress loosened the restrictions.
In his speech signing the reform, President Clinton explained the changes, “The Federal Employees Political Activities Act, which I'm about to sign, will permit Federal employees and postal workers on their own time to manage campaigns, raise funds, to hold positions within political parties. Still, there will be some reasonable restrictions. They wouldn't be able to run for partisan political office themselves, for example.”
President Clinton described the importance of the changes, “We've been supporting democracy throughout the world…But here in our own country, millions of our own citizens have been denied one of the most basic democratic rights, the right to participate in the political process.”
He ended his remarks by saying, “I look forward to the infusion and Federal and postal employee energy, expertise, and dedication into our political system that this bill makes possible.”
Today under the regulations of the act, most employees can assist in voter registration drives, attend fundraisers, contribute money, and distribute campaign literature.
They can even run for office in non-partisan elections.
They cannot use their jobs to influence elections or engage in political activity while on the clock.
Today there remains a balancing act between protecting the free speech of federal employees, and keeping the government politically neutral.
November 19 - Joe Hill’s Final Words
November 18 - Accident or Murder?
November 17 - Resisting Impressment
November 16 - NFL Players End Strike
November 15 - The IWW is Raided
November 14 - The Origins of CWA
November 13 - The Holland Tunnel Opens
November 12 - Striking Against Privatization
November 11 - Haymarket Martyrs are Executed
November 10 - Suicide or Murder?
November 9 - Remembering Philip Murray
November 8 - Dorothy Day is Born
November 7 - Eisenhower Wields Taft-Hartley
November 6 - The Fight for Equality
November 5 - The Everett Massacre
November 4 - Will Rogers is Born
November 3 - The Greensboro Massacre
November 2 - Sixteen Tons
November 1 - The Deadly Consequences of Scabbing
October 31 - Happy Union Made Halloween
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
Teachers Talk Radio
LifeBlood
Navigating Life After 40
The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast
The Mel Robbins Podcast