On June 9, the UFCW released a statement in support of the passage of the Faster Labor Contracts Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation would require employers to collectively bargain with newly organized workers within 10 days of voting to form their union.
While the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) requires employers and unions to bargain in good faith, it does not impose a time limit for the parties to reach an agreement. In practice, this allows employers, who benefit from the status quo, to drag negotiations out, stalling the process of securing a first contract by an average of 458 days.
The Faster Labor Contracts Act would amend the NLRA to require employers to begin negotiating with newly unionized workers within 10 days of their union election. The legislation would also ensure that if no agreement is reached within 90 days, the dispute will be referred to mediation. If mediation fails within 30 days, or additional periods agreed upon by both parties, the dispute will be referred to arbitration to reach a first contract. The bill would also commission a Government Accountability Office report on average workplace time-to-contract one year after enactment.
“Collective bargaining is the strongest tool workers have to ensure safe workplaces, a voice on the job, and the ability to provide for their families,” UFCW International President Milton Jones said in a statement. “The Faster Labor Contracts Act ensures a reasonable timeline for workers to secure a first contract by closing loopholes that employers can use to delay bargaining— as we’ve seen with REI, which has avoided reaching a first contract with unionized workers for over four years.”
“Workers deserve to be heard at the bargaining table, and this legislation ensures that employers cannot deny them this right. The UFCW applauds Representatives Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) and Pete Stauber (R-Minn.) for standing up for workers and championing this legislation.”