A Republican bill with 15 Democratic cosponsors · See all 17 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Faster Labor Contracts Act. It aims to speed up the time it takes for newly organized workers and their employers to reach their first contract. Right now, negotiations often drag on for well over a year, which usually benefits employers who want to wear down the workers. The bill forces both sides to start bargaining quickly after a union is voted in. If they cannot agree on a contract after a set amount of time, the dispute goes to mediation and eventually to a binding arbitration panel to settle the terms. It also requires a government report to track how long these initial contracts take to complete in the future.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +8
Would union members be better off under this?
The bill provides a structured, expedited path to securing a first contract through mediation and binding arbitration.
- Scored +7
Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise?
The bill expedites the collective bargaining process and ensures current wages and benefits are maintained while negotiating a new contract.
- Scored +3
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill helps workers secure binding agreements on wages and benefits more rapidly.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Faster start to negotiations: Under Section 3, amending Section 8(d)(3)(A) of the National Labor Relations Act, parties must meet and begin collective bargaining within 10 days of receiving a written request from a newly recognized or certified labor organization. This ensures that the process kicks off promptly instead of stalling right at the start.
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Mandatory mediation and dispute resolution: Under Section 3, amending Section 8(d)(3)(B) and (C) of the National Labor Relations Act, if parties fail to reach an agreement after 90 days of bargaining, they can bring in the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. If mediation fails after 30 days, the dispute goes to a 3-person arbitration panel that makes a binding decision for a period of 2 years. This provision prevents endless stalemates and guarantees that workers will eventually get a contract.
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Protection of current wages and hours: Under Section 3, amending Section 8(d)(1) of the National Labor Relations Act, employers are required to maintain current wages, hours, and terms and conditions of employment pending an agreement. This protects workers from sudden negative changes while they are waiting for their first contract to be finalized.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Loss of direct control over contract terms: Under Section 3, amending Section 8(d)(3)(C) of the National Labor Relations Act, if the arbitration panel is used, a majority of the 3-person panel renders a binding decision settling the dispute if the employer and workers cannot agree. This means an outside panel can ultimately dictate the wages, benefits, and working conditions for up to 2 years without a mutually agreed-upon compromise between the employer and the workers.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would union members be better off under this? — The bill provides a structured, expedited path to securing a first contract through mediation and binding arbitration. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill helps workers secure binding agreements on wages and benefits more rapidly. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill facilitates faster access to negotiated labor contracts and wage protections.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this strengthen the rights of workers to organise? — The bill expedites the collective bargaining process and ensures current wages and benefits are maintained while negotiating a new contract.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill mandates a GAO report to track the average time it takes to reach initial labor agreements.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Is this likely to lift people out of poverty? — By accelerating contract negotiations, the bill helps workers secure wage increases more quickly.
- 9/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 6/15/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/22/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/19/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 12/18/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 12/16/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/30/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 10/16/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/29/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 9/18/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 5/21/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 4/7/2025
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 3/4/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 4 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Michael BennetDemocrat · Colorado
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Cory BookerDemocrat · New Jersey
Lisa Blunt RochesterDemocrat · Delaware
Catherine Cortez MastoDemocrat · Nevada
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Maggie HassanDemocrat · New Hampshire
Mark KellyDemocrat · Arizona
Timothy KaineDemocrat · Virginia
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Roger MarshallRepublican · Kansas
Bernie MorenoRepublican · Ohio
Jon OssoffDemocrat · Georgia
Gary PetersDemocrat · Michigan
Jacky RosenDemocrat · Nevada
Elissa SlotkinDemocrat · Michigan