Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: pursuit of happiness
Machinists preemption: A rule that says states cannot make laws about certain things related to work if Congress has already decided not to make laws about those things. It's like if your mom said you could decide what to wear to school, and then your dad said you had to wear a uniform. Your dad's rule would "preempt" your mom's rule, and you would have to wear the uniform.
Machinists preemption is a legal doctrine that prohibits state regulation of an area of labor activity or management-union relations that Congress has intentionally left unregulated. This means that the federal government has the right to buy or purchase something before others, and this right can supersede or supplant any inconsistent state law or regulation.
These examples illustrate how the federal government has the power to preempt state laws in certain areas, including labor relations and management-union activities.