Employee Free Choice Act

The Employee Free Choice Act (S. 842) would change the process for how employees form a labor union and negotiate their first contract. Under this bill, if a majority of employees in a workplace sign authorization cards, the National Labor Relations Board would be required to certify the union without a secret-ballot election.

The bill also introduces stricter timelines for reaching an initial contract, requiring mediation and potentially binding arbitration if the employer and the new union cannot agree on terms within a specific timeframe. Additionally, it increases financial penalties for employers who commit unfair labor practices during union organizing campaigns or first-contract negotiations.