Benjamin Aaron facts for kids

Benjamin Aaron (born September 2, 1915 – died August 25, 2007) was an American lawyer and expert in labor law. He was famous for helping to solve disagreements between workers and their employers. He also helped create a new field of study called comparative labor law in the United States.

Early Life and Education

Benjamin Aaron was born in Chicago, Illinois, on September 2, 1915. He was the youngest of five children. Sadly, his mother passed away when he was five, and his father died soon after. His aunt and uncle then raised him.

Benjamin went to the University of Michigan and earned his first degree in 1937. He decided to become a lawyer because his father and two uncles were also lawyers. He found his passion for labor law during a class in college. He then earned his law degree from Harvard University in 1940. Benjamin married Eleanor Opsahl, and they had two daughters.

Working for the Government

During World War II, Benjamin Aaron worked as a mediator for the War Labor Board. A mediator helps people solve disagreements. President Franklin D. Roosevelt later made him the executive director of the Board. He served in this important role until 1946.

After the war, Aaron continued to help solve labor disputes. He worked with the United States Conciliation Service. He was especially helpful in settling disagreements in California's aircraft industry.

In 1951, President Harry S. Truman appointed him to the Wage Stabilization Board. This board helped control pay increases during a time of economic change. Aaron became the vice chairman of the Board in 1952. He believed the Board needed proper funding to do its job well.

Career After the War

In 1946, Aaron joined the Institute of Industrial Relations at the UCLA. He became the director of the Institute in 1960 and led it until 1975.

He was also a leader in the National Academy of Arbitrators. He was elected vice president in 1960 and then president in 1962.

Throughout the 1960s, Aaron helped solve many labor problems. He worked on disputes in various industries. These included transportation, healthcare, and airlines. In 1968, he helped negotiate the first contract for public employees in California. This was a big step for workers' rights.

President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed Aaron to a special commission in 1965. This group studied how new technology, like computers and robots, affected jobs. Their report suggested more funding for job training programs. It also said that new technology would not cause as many job problems as some people feared.

In 1970, Aaron helped end a long teachers' strike in Los Angeles. This strike involved 14,000 teachers. His efforts helped resolve what was then the longest teachers' strike in California's history. Even at 68, he helped settle a pilots' strike in 1983.

Important Legal Work

In 1966, Benjamin Aaron helped create the Comparative Labor Law Group. This group brought together experts from different countries. They discussed how each country handled labor and workplace rules. Over 12 years, they wrote three books. This work helped create the study of comparative labor law in the United States. Aaron became the editor of the Comparative Labor Law and Policy Journal. He remained a senior editor until his death.

Aaron also believed that American labor laws needed to be improved. He thought that many judges did not understand how workplaces really operated. He suggested creating special "labor courts" to handle disputes between employers and unions. He also argued that existing laws did not fully protect the rights of all workers.

Later Years and Passing

Benjamin Aaron continued to teach and write even into his 90s. He passed away on August 25, 2007, at UCLA Medical Center. He was 91 years old.