House Passes Faster Labor Contracts Act With Support From Some Republicans
The House voted 230-193 on Tuesday to approve the Faster Labor Contracts Act. The measure sets shorter timelines for first-contract talks between newly organized unions and employers. It now moves to the Senate, where its prospects remain unclear.
The HillThe House passed the Faster Labor Contracts Act on Tuesday by a 230-193 vote. The bill sets a 90-day deadline for initial contract talks after a new union forms. If talks fail, the measure sends the dispute to mediation for 30 days and then to a three-person arbitration panel. House Republican leadership had opposed the measure.
The new timelines would require mediation and arbitration if no agreement is reached within four months. Supporters said the changes would prevent employers from delaying agreements indefinitely. A Republican member of the House Education and Workforce Committee said the bill would give a government-appointed panel power to impose contracts.
The member argued that workers should retain the right to vote on their own agreements.
The contract timelines were originally part of a larger labor bill that passed the House in 2021. Some unions have supported the narrower provision. A companion bill has been introduced in the Senate. The White House did not respond to questions about the legislation before the House vote.
A law firm partner who advises employers said the measure would shift bargaining power away from both sides if enacted.
