Compromise on the Employee Free Choice Act
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal on
May 7th the Senate is working on a compromise
version of the Employee Free Choice Act. Under the new
version the Senate will drop the card-signing provision in
favor of a speedier union election process.
The article stated that “the proposed compromise on the
Employee Free Choice Act also seeks greater use of mediation
and would restrict the authority of arbitrators to impose
contracts. The bill in its original form would make it
easier for unions to organize workers by getting them to
sign cards and would force companies to enter contracts.”
Among the changes being discussed are dropping the
card-signing provision and setting a 21-day deadline for an
election to be held. Senator Specter is reported to be
supportive of the idea that a secret ballot election must be
held within 21 days if the employer wants.
Another compromise relates to contract negotiations. The
bill currently calls for arbitrators to set contracts if an
employer and a new union fail to agree within 120 days.
Under a compromise, mediators -- rather than arbitrators --
would play a bigger role in helping the sides negotiate a
contract. Arbitrators would still be used to rule on
certain contract provisions if both sides failed to agree.
"The
issue of government arbitrators telling an employer how to
run their business is not something the employer community
is going to accept," said Michael Eastman, executive
director of labor policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
