On March 4, 2025, legislation was introduced that would require employers to finalize negotiations with newly elected unions or face “binding interest arbitration of first contracts.” The Faster Labor Contracts Act, led by Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), permits a federal government bureaucrat to dictate the specifics of a first contract. The policy is a part of the senator’s proposed labor policy framework and included in the Protecting Right to Organize Act, all of which IEC opposes.

Under the bill, the employer and employees would be required to accept the wages, benefits, safety procedures, paid time-off questions and other workplace policies determined by the federal government and “shall be binding upon the parties for a period of two years.” 

An arbitrator could force an employer to spend thousands of dollars to overhaul facilities, change subcontractors or alter promotion policies without any judicial oversight. Similarly, the arbitrator could also cut wages of employees without any consideration of legal fairness. Simply put, this bill could mandate a lose-lose contract on both the employer and the employees.

Act now! Tell your senators to oppose the Faster Labor Contracts Act!