Pro-Worker Bill in Congress

The Employee Free Choice Act would amend the National Labor Relations Act to provide stronger protections for workers who want to form unions. 270 members of Congress have cosponsored the bill. Here is a comparison of organizing conditions now, and under the proposed amended NLRA:

Current Practice
Union-busting: The only penalty for illegally firing a union activist is to reinstate the employee with back pay. Other illegal activities are penalized by requiring the employer to post a notice saying they won’t break the law any more.
NLRB Elections: Employers require workers go through a lengthy election process. They use lawyers to drag out the process and wage an antiunion campaign.
Bad Faith Bargaining: Once workers win an election, the boss often refuses to bargain. They know that if they can drag the process out, they may be able to convince workers to decertify the union.

Practice Under Proposed Legislation
Penalties for Union-busting: Employers who illegally fire activists during an organizing campaign would pay triple back pay. Other violations of organizing rights would carry fines up to $20,000.
Card Check: Workers would sign up a majority of their co-workers on representation cards to form a union (this is the process for organizing unions in Canada and Western Europe).
Arbitration for First Contracts: If no contract is reached in 120 days of forming a union, outstanding issues would be decided by an arbitrator.

Get Advice Join TDU Donate

Recent News

How We Made UPS Create RPCD Jobs in Our Local

UPS CEO Carole Tomé’s Better, Not Bigger strategy is about cutting volume and Teamster jobs. South Carolina Local 509 has fought back and won new driver positions. Shop Stewards John Gacsey and Russell Sires share how the fight played out in their building in Palmetto.

United Autoworkers Fight for Their Union

President Shawn Fain led members of the United Autoworkers (UAW) to victory in the Stand Up strike against the Big Three automakers. Now, he’s facing trumped up allegations from a federal monitor who’s trying to tip the balance in the upcoming UAW election for International Union officers. Here’s what you need to know.

View More News Posts