US Faster Labor Contracts Act draws union support, pushback from contractor group

An AI-generated image showing a queue of construction workers. (Image: Adobe Stock)

The bipartisan bill would accelerate the timeline for employers and newly certified unions to reach first contracts, with disputes ultimately resolved through binding arbitration.

The proposed legislation mirrors a US Senate version introduced in March by Senators Josh Hawley (Republican-Missouri), and Cory Booker (Democrat-New Jersey) and has drawn backing internally from both major US political parties.

Supporters say it will prevent companies from delaying negotiations, while opponents warn it represents unprecedented federal intrusion into private agreements.

Contractor group calls FLCA ‘egregious’

In a press release titled “ABC Opposes the Egregious Faster Labor Contracts Act”, the US-based Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) strongly opposed the proposal, arguing it would undermine voluntary bargaining.

“By imposing government-mandated contract terms on employers and employees, the FLCA takes away the parties’ basic rights to freely negotiate workplace conditions. This has never happened in America before,” said ABC President and CEO Michael Bellaman.

He said, if passed, the law would hand “unprecedented power” to federal bureaucrats, forcing businesses to accept contracts regardless of affordability.

ABC said the bill revives provisions from the Protecting the Right to Organize Act and the earlier Employee Free Choice Act, both of which failed to advance in Congress. The group warned that binding arbitration after just 120 days of bargaining would disregard the unique needs of workplaces, while government-appointed arbitrators could dictate wages, benefits, safety rules and leave policies.

The association also noted that workers would lose the right to ratify those binding contracts, and that arbitrators would not be required to consider whether a business could afford the terms imposed.

“ABC calls on members of the House to stand with workers, entrepreneurs and small businesses by rejecting this misguided bill,” Bellaman said.

FLCA garners union support

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a North American-based workers union, welcomed the bill. It called the FLCA one of the most consequential acts for organised labour in decades.

“When passed, the Faster Labor Contracts Act will put working families in this country back at the center of the American economy, and it has the potential to transform entire industries for the better,” said Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien.

Rank-and-file members said it would address real-world disputes.

“The [FLCA] would make it so companies can’t drag their feet during contract negotiations,” said Yuniel Sancillena, a driver with Teamsters Local 79 in Florida.

The Teamsters represent a wide range of workers across multile industries, with construction workers making up just a small portion of represented segments.

Legal analysis

According to law firm Faegre Drinker, the FLCA would amend Section 8(d) of the National Labor Relations Act by requiring negotiations to begin within ten days of a union vote. If no agreement is reached in 90 days, the dispute would move to mediation, and if still unresolved after 30 days, to binding arbitration.

This could sharply reduce the average time to a first contract, which currently extends well over a year in average cases.

The firm noted that the proposal “mirrors provisions contained in the expansive Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act” and Senator Hawley’s broader “Pro-Worker Framework,” which also calls for quick union elections and stronger penalties for labour law violations

Next steps

With bipartisan sponsors in both chambers and strong union backing, the FLCA marks a significant test of the balance between protecting workers’ rights to secure first contracts and maintaining employers’ flexibility in negotiations.

Contractors and business groups are mobilising against what they see as government overreach, while unions argue the reforms are long overdue.

A date for Congress to vote on the bill has not yet been set.