State-supported sectoral bargaining through wage boards is gaining traction among some U.S. reformers interested in revitalizing labor unions and labor law. New York has become a celebrated case, but the recent experience there left some activists disappointed. Theoretically, revitalization through wage boards is complicated. Labor law doctrine, which favors collective autonomy, might endorse state-created wage boards, but only in a qualified manner. Moreover, reformers consider union membership growth to be important for labor union revitalization. And yet, empirical studies have shown that sectoral bargaining has an indeterminate impact on union membership. Given New York’s uneven results, and theoretical qualifications and indeterminacies, this article presents Uruguay as a successful case of wage boards, from where we can draw lessons for other jurisdictions, including the United States. The article describes how Uruguay’s wage councils, convened in various periods since 1943, revitalized labor unions in the South American country, at least in some periods. Specific economic, institutional, and political conditions facilitated the success of the wage councils, pointing at the socio-historical conditions needed for successful wage board strategies. The article concludes with five hypotheses for the U.S., and three issues for further research to better understand when wage boards can best work.