A union-busting loophole in U.S. labor law got one step closer to elimination when a bipartisan majority in the House of Representatives passed the Faster Labor Contracts Act.
“One of the most important tools a union has to get a seat at the table is the right to collectively bargain,” said New Jersey Rep. Donald Norcross, a member of Folsom, N.J., Local 351 and a principal co-sponsor of the FLCA when it was introduced in the House in 2024.
The bill Passed by a 230-193 vote June 9, with 20 Republicans joining nearly all Democrats in voting “yes.”
A big problem for workers who want to form a union is that after they make the effort to get their unionizing elections certified, there are no deadlines for employers to agree to a contract with the new bargaining unit, Norcross said.
“It can take an average of 458 days for an employer to agree with a union on their first contract,” said Norcross, a journeyman inside wireman and former Local 351 business representative who has represented New Jersey’s 1st Congressional District since 2014. “Roughly a third of workers are forced to wait over three years before they can sign on the dotted line.”
Employers know that if they hold up negotiations long enough, frustrated workers might decide unionizing wasn’t worth the effort, he said. Meanwhile, employers know that making collective bargaining as painful as possible could discourage other workers from trying to organize.
Among the FLCA’s key provisions is a requirement for employers to quickly begin contract negotiations — within just 10 days of a union election certification. If a new agreement is not reached after 90 more days, either party would then be empowered to request independent mediation. Should another month go by with no agreement reached, the FLCA provides for parties to ask an arbitration panel to step in and decide on a binding, two-year first contract.
The bipartisan support for the FLCA proved crucial when Norcross sought to force a House vote on the measure — after Speaker Mike Johnson failed to schedule it for consideration — through what’s known as a discharge petition.
“Our bill reaffirms that collective bargaining is a fundamental right that even the richest billionaires must comply with,” Norcross said in a speech on the House floor before the vote. “And by advancing this legislation, Congress can send a clear message that workers deserve a level playing field — and that organized labor is still capable of bettering the lives of everyone.”
International President Kenneth W. Cooper applauded Norcross’ work in getting the FLCA past this crucial legislative hurdle.
“Brother Norcross is the only IBEW electrician in Congress, and his work on moving this bill forward shows why it’s so important for more of our members to run for public office,” Cooper said. “Getting the FLCA passed and making good-faith bargaining a part of labor law will go a long way toward helping thousands of workers — in the IBEW and all the other unions — to start experiencing the benefits of a union contract in a matter of months, not years.”
Take Action
With no vote set for the FLCA’s companion measure in the Senate, S. 844, Cooper encouraged IBEW members to call their senators at 202-224-3121 and urge them to support its passage.
Members can also take part in a letter-writing campaign in support of the bill through this link.
“Workers have a fundamental right to bargain collectively, but for too long, it’s been far too easy for executives to run out the clock on workers’ first union contracts,” he said. “It’s time to Congress to do its part and pass what might be one of the biggest advances in workers’ rights in decades.”
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