The proposed Faster Labor Contracts Act would amend the National Labor Relations Act to force interest arbitration in a first-time collective bargaining if the parties fail to produce an agreement within a set timeframe.
A majority of House members have signed a “discharge petition” to force floor consideration of the legislation (H.R. 5408 / S. 844), which would allow government-appointed arbitrators to set terms of first collective bargaining agreements when bargaining fails.
Current law requires employers and unions to bargain in good faith but does not require either side to reach an agreement or make concessions. The Faster Labor Contracts Act would allow either party to trigger a process ending in binding interest arbitration if the parties do not reach an agreement within prescribed deadlines. By contrast, traditional labor law has relied on economic pressure and voluntary agreement rather than government-imposed terms to resolve first-contract disputes.
Although the House is expected to pass the measure, its prospects in the Senate remain uncertain.
Members of the Center for Workplace Compliance (CWC), our affiliated nonprofit membership association, can find more information here. CWC members can also read a summary of the bill in our Faster Labor Contacts Act resource.