The American Association for Labor Legislation (AALL; 1906–1945) was an early advocacy group for national health insurance in the United States of America, conceived in 1905,[1][2] established in 1906, active to 1943, and disbanded in 1945.[3][4]John Bertram Andrews ran the organization for three decades (1910–1942) as its secretary.[4]
Mission
The AALL's purposes were to: serve as American branch of the International Association for Labor Legislation, promote uniform US labor legislation, and encourage study of labor legislation.[4]
History
In 1905, the American Association for Labor Legislation was conceived by a small group of economists. Initially their goal was "the study of labor conditions and labor legislation in the United States."[citation needed]
The AALL charter was drawn up and signed on February 15, 1906, by 21 charter members who included Mary Van Kleeck. The AALL comprised three groups: a General Administrative Council, an Executive Committee, and General Officers.[4]
By 1909, however, under the leadership of John Bertram Andrews, this "study" group took an activist turn and began actively promoting, lobbying for, and effecting major changes in worker's compensation, occupational health and safety, and child labor laws."[5] In a sense, the AALL was "proto-think tank":
The AALL was one of the first organizations that might be classified as a think tank. The appellation of first think tank is usually given to the Brookings Institute [recte Brookings Institution], the forerunner to which was founded in 1916. Given the subsequent development of that region of the public sphere, it is probably correct to say so. The AALL, however, was a historical alternative to the Brookings model of the think tank. Organized as a quasi-professional association rather than a foundation entrusted by philanthropists or corporate interests, the leaders of the AALL viewed policy involvement as an aim and requirement of academic social science.[1]
The American Association for Labor Legislation continued to take part in the health advocacy. For example, in 1917, they proposed a national health insurance act that included a provision for weekly cash allocations for pregnant women.[citation needed]
In 1943, the AALL became inactive with the death of its three-decade secretary John Bertram Andrews and shut down in 1945.[4]
Successes
The AALL was successful in helping to pass the following legislation:
AALL membership peaked in 1913 with 3,348 members but remained around 3,000 into the 1930s.[4]
Publications
The AALL published American Labor Legislation Review from 1911 to 1943. "In addition to the Review, the Association published pamphlets, leaflets and reprints of magazine articles and editorials in large quantities for the use of its members and others interested in liberal social legislation."[4]
^ abGee, John (Spring 2012). "Twilight of Consensus: The American Association for Labor Legislation and Academic Public Policy Research". Penn History Review (4). hdl:20.500.14332/42692.
^Moss, David A. (1994). "Kindling a Flame under Federalism: Progressive Reformers, Corporate Elites, and the Phosphorus Match Campaign of 1909–1912". Business History Review. 68 (2): 244–275. doi:10.2307/3117443. JSTOR3117443. S2CID155436193.
^American Association for Labor Legislation archives, 1905–1943. American Association for Labor Legislation. 1905. OCLC136326800.
^Willoughby, William F. (February 1914). "The Philosophy of Labor Legislation: Presidential Address, American Association for Labor Legislation". The American Political Science Review. 8 (1). American Political Science Association: 14–24. doi:10.2307/1945385. JSTOR1945385. S2CID147128411.
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