Employee Free Choice Will Ensure Workers Get a Fair First Contract

by Seth Michaels, Jun 23, 2009

The freedom to form unions and bargain is critical to workers and to a stronger, fairer economy—but weak law that allows delay and stalling blocks workers from gaining the first contracts that can bring them a better life.

Studies show that when workers vote for unions, fewer than half of them have a contract a full year later—and in more than a third of cases, workers still don’t have a contract two years later. Despite exercising their freedom to form unions against great obstacles, workers aren’t able to bargain for health coverage, retirement security, fair wages and safe workplace conditions.

The Employee Free Choice Act would end this injustice by providing a process to help bargainers reach an agreement through mediation and, for issues the parties are unable to resolve on their own, arbitration. Arbitration would occur only under the Employee Free Choice Act if either side requests it, after months of negotiations.

In a new ad, American Rights at Work draws attention to the 52 percent of workers who form a union but have to wait a year or more for a fair first contract. The ad is running in CQ, Roll Call, The Hill and Politico. Big corporations are fighting the arbitration provision of the Employee Free Choice Act with millions of dollars and shameless misinformation—even though businesses use mediation and arbitration in a wide variety of negotiations and disputes.

Congress needs to stand up for the workers who deserve the chance to gain fair first contracts. Giving workers a chance at this fundamental freedom is the only way to rebuild the middle class and an economy that works for everyone. It’s time to pass the Employee Free Choice Act.

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