New fast track bargaining bill remakes law, splits Republicans

A divided House passed a bill that would impose strict bargaining timelines and final contracts on employers and labor groups when negotiating a first union contract. The Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA) would empower arbitrators to impose final contract terms without a vote by either labor or management. Twenty Republicans joined 210 Democrats in supporting the union-backed bill, which reflects a growing contingent of rank-and-file GOP lawmakers breaking with leadership in support of organized labor. 

Deadlines 

Deemed by many opponents as the most radical change to U.S. labor law in a century, the FLCA would impose a series of firm deadlines for bargaining before interest arbitration can be requested. Under the framework, the following deadlines must be met after union certification: 

• By day 10, the employer is required to begin bargaining.
• By day 100, federal mediation is triggered if no agreement has been reached.
• By day 130, binding interest arbitration is initiated if mediation fails.
• By day 144, an arbitration panel is seated to impose a final contract. 

However, the bill doesn’t impose a deadline for the arbitrators to arrive at a final contract, nor, as noted, does it provide for a vote by the affected parties. 

Radical change in labor law