Mohawk Valley Formula Exposed as Corporate Blueprint for Breaking Unions and Evading Wagner Act

The La Follette Civil Liberties Committee exposes and names the “Mohawk Valley Formula” in 1936-1937, documenting a systematic corporate strategy for breaking strikes and defeating union organizing campaigns that James Rand Jr., president of Remington Rand, developed during the 1936 strike at his company’s plants in upstate New York. The National Association of Manufacturers distributes Rand’s union-busting playbook to employers nationwide as a model for resisting Wagner Act compliance, transforming what began as one company’s tactics into an industry-wide template for labor suppression.

The Mohawk Valley Formula consists of nine coordinated elements: First, brand union leaders as “outside agitators” threatening the community. Second, organize a “citizens’ committee” of local business owners, politicians, and clergy to oppose the union. Third, dominate local media with anti-union propaganda. Fourth, secure pledges from local police and government officials to maintain “law and order.” Fifth, arm a large police force with tear gas and weapons. Sixth, stage a mass meeting of “loyal employees” to demonstrate opposition to the strike. Seventh, organize a “back to work” movement with dramatic return-to-work parades. Eighth, threaten permanent replacement of strikers. Ninth, brand strike settlement as union “defeat” regardless of outcome.

The formula’s sophistication lies in its combination of propaganda, astroturfing, and violence—creating the appearance of community opposition to unions while maintaining corporate control behind the scenes. The La Follette Committee documents how employers across multiple industries adopt Mohawk Valley tactics, including the use of private detective agencies to infiltrate unions, company-funded “citizens’ committees” designed to appear as grassroots civic organizations, and coordination with local law enforcement to protect strikebreakers and attack pickets. While the NLRB eventually orders Remington Rand to cease unfair labor practices, the formula’s tactics continue to influence corporate anti-union campaigns for decades, evolving into modern union avoidance consulting that helps employers defeat organizing campaigns while technically complying with labor law.