Faster Labor Contracts Act

Key Points

• This bill creates a strict timeline for employers and newly formed unions to agree on their first contract. Right now, it takes an average of 465 days for new unions to get a deal. The bill's sponsors, including Senator Hawley and Senator Booker, say these long delays allow companies to stall and weaken the union's power.
• Under the new rules, both sides must start talking within 10 days of a request. If they haven't reached a deal after 90 days, they can bring in a federal mediator to help. If there is still no deal after another 30 days of mediation, the case goes to a three-person panel for a final, binding decision.
• The three-person panel would include one person chosen by the union, one by the employer, and one neutral member. Their decision on wages and benefits would stay in place for two years. They would base their decision on the company’s profits, the local cost of living, and what similar jobs in the area pay.
• This change would mostly affect workers who have just voted to join a union but do not have a legal contract yet. It aims to ensure that a vote for a union leads to better pay and benefits quickly, rather than getting stuck in months or years of negotiations.