Faster Labor Contracts Act
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| Long title | To accelerate workplace time-to-contract under the National Labor Relations Act. |
|---|---|
| Nicknames | Faster Labor Contracts Act |
| Number of co-sponsors | 110 |
| Legislative history | |
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The Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA) is a proposed act of the United States Congress introduced in September 2025 that would mandate employers engage in contract negotiations with labor unions within ten days of a union's request to negotiate. If an employer and union do not come to an agreement within 90 days, the act requires mediation, and if mediation does not result in a contract, an arbitration board would set initial contract terms.[1]
Background
The bill would amend the National Labor Relations Act, which did not set a time deadline for contract negotiations.[1]
Labor negotiations typically take over a year to finalize first contracts in the United States. Union advocates often argue negotiation periods should be shorter. Employers often oppose faster contract legislation.[2] Senator Josh Hawley wrote the bill in response to a 1,400+ day contract negotiation between Amazon employees and their employer.[3]
PRO Act
The main legislative provision in the Fair Labor Contracts Act was initially a part of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act, which had been passed by the House in 2021.[4]
Legislative history
The FLCA passed the House on June 9, 2026 after reaching the floor via a discharge petition.[5][4] The petition was signed by 211 Democrats with the support of Republican representatives Don Bacon, Riley Moore, and Nick LaRota.[6] The House bill passed with unanimous Democratic support and support from 20 Republicans.[3][7] The bill has advanced to the Senate for consideration. The FLCA has support from Democratic senators Gary Peters, Cory Booker, and Jeff Merkley, as well as Republican senators Josh Hawley,[3] Roger Marshall, and Bernie Moreno.[8]
Response
The bill was endorsed by the Teamsters.[9][10] Teamsters president Sean O'Brien described the bill as "one of the most consequential labor bills to come before Congress in generations".[2]
The CHRO Association, a large United States HR firm opposed the bill, calling it "draconian" and criticized the concept of a government arbitrator writing a contract for unions and employers.[2] The US Chamber of Commerce opposes the bill.[11][12]
References
- 1 2 "Major NLRA Changes Proposed for Faster Labor Contracts Act". natlawreview.com. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- 1 2 3 Hsu, Andrea (2026-06-10). "House approves bill to speed up union contract negotiations". NPR. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- 1 2 3 Vafai, Keyian (2026-07-30). "Employers Stall Labor Contracts for Years. A New Bill Could Change That". The American Prospect. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- 1 2 Brooks, Emily. "Faster Labor Contracts Act passes House after GOP rebels join Democrats". The Hill.
- ↑ Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1 (2026-06-10). "Actions - H.R.5408 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): Faster Labor Contracts Act". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ↑ Solender, Andrew (2026-05-22). "Mike Johnson gets bypassed more than any past speaker". Axios. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "House Roll Call Vote 216". www.congress.gov. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "Employers May Soon Face a Hard Deadline on First Union Contracts: What You Need to Know about Faster Labor Contracts Act". Fisher Phillips. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ Melentijevic, Lena (2026-06-09). "Teamsters-Led Faster Labor Contracts Act Passes U.S. House With Bipartisan Support". International Brotherhood of Teamsters. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ Breslin, Bernadette (2025-03-04). "New Hawley Legislation to Speed Up Labor Contracts Earns Teamsters Endorsement, Bipartisan Support". Josh Hawley. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "Key Vote Letter Opposing H.R. 5408, the Faster Labor Contracts Act". www.uschamber.com. 2026-06-09. Retrieved 2026-08-13.
- ↑ "Faster Labor Contracts Act: What Workers Must Know". www.uschamber.com. 2026-04-14. Retrieved 2026-08-13.