Bipartisan legislation would require employers to collectively bargain with newly organized workers within 10 days of voting to form their union
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union (UFCW), which represents 1.2 million essential workers across North America, released a statement following the passage of the Faster Labor Contracts Act in the U.S. House of Representatives.
UFCW International President Milton Jones said:
“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. 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-NJ) and Pete Stauber (R-MN) for standing up for workers and championing this legislation.”
BACKGROUND
- 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.
The UFCW International is the largest private sector union in the United States, representing 1.2 million workers and their families in grocery, meatpacking, food processing, healthcare, cannabis, retail, and other essential industries. UFCW members serve our communities in all 50 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Learn more about the UFCW at ufcw.org.
CONTACT: Finn Storer press@ufcw.org