Bipartisan Push for Speedier Labor Agreements: Senators Unveil the Faster Labor Contracts Act

At a Glance

• After workers vote to form a union, the Faster Labor Contracts Act would require employers to begin negotiations with the new union within 10 days. If no agreement is reached within 90 days, the matter would be referred to mediation. If mediation fails within 30 days, or any agreed-upon extension, the dispute would then be sent to binding arbitration for a first contract.
• Senator Josh Hawley’s Pro-Worker Framework also seeks to mandate representation elections be held within 20 business days.
• Many of the items contained in both the Faster Labor Contracts Act and Senator Hawley’s Pro-Worker Framework mirror provisions in the expansive Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act.

On March 4, 2025, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), along with a bipartisan coalition of senators, introduced new legislation — the Faster Labor Contracts Act — to dramatically speed up the timeline for first contracts for newly certified unions. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) joined as co-sponsors; and the bill has already received a warm welcome from organized labor, garnering immediate support from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT).

Faster Labor Contracts Act’s Proposed 90-Day Deadline to Bargain First Contract

Presently, Section 8(d) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) requires an employer and a union to bargain in good faith over the terms and conditions of employment, but “does not compel either party to agree to a proposal or require the making of a concession.” Nor does the NLRA impose a time limit for the parties to reach an agreement. On average, it takes well over a year for parties to reach an agreement on a first contract.

The Faster Labor Contracts Act, however, seeks to amend Section 8(d) of the NLRA with the following provisions:

• Mandatory Negotiations: After workers vote to form a union, employers would be required to begin negotiations with the new union within 10 days.
• Mediation Requirement: If no agreement is reached within 90 days, the matter would be referred to mediation.
• Binding Arbitration: If mediation fails within 30 days, or any agreed-upon extension, the dispute would then be sent to binding arbitration to secure an initial contract.
• Government Accountability Office (GAO) Report: One year after the bill’s enactment, the GAO would be tasked with reporting the average workplace’s time-to-contract.

The timeline for bargaining first contracts has long been a contentious issue for organized labor, which has consistently advocated for reform. The topic has gained renewed attention through Senator Hawley’s efforts, who first proposed this when he unveiled an ambitious, labor-friendly blueprint in early January 2025 — the Pro-Worker Framework.

Other Major Proposals on the Horizon?

Senator Hawley’s Pro-Worker Framework

In addition to advocating for shorter timelines for first-contract negotiations, Senator Hawley’s Pro-Worker Framework also includes several key provisions aimed at strengthening labor protections:

• Codifying “Quickie Elections”: The proposal mandates that representation elections be held within 20 business days, accelerating the process for workers seeking union representation.
• Stronger Penalties for NLRA Violations: The framework calls for enhanced penalties and damages for violations of the NLRA, along with granting employees the right to privately sue employers for such infractions.
• Making “Captive Audience” Meeting Ban Permanent: Building on the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) recent decision, the framework would enshrine the prohibition of “captive audience” meetings into law.
• Workplace Posting Requirements: The framework would require employers to post clear notices outlining employees’ rights under the NLRA, similar to the requirements under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Occupational Safety and Health Act.

The Reintroduction of the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act

Many of the items contained in both the Faster Labor Contracts Act and Senator Hawley’s Pro-Worker Framework mirror provisions contained in the expansive pro-labor PRO Act, which was also reintroduced in both the House and Senate on March 5, 2025, by another bipartisan coalition of legislators including Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Representatives Bobby Scott (D-VA), Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA). Notably, recently confirmed Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, while serving in the House of Representatives, was a co-sponsor of the original PRO Act introduced in 2023.

Impact on Employers

Given the practical realities of bargaining a first contract, with which many already-unionized employers are familiar, operationalizing these truncated timelines will often prove difficult, and result in significant burden on employers. And the changes contained in both the Faster Labor Contracts Act and the reintroduced PRO Act would result in significant new burdens for employers.

Likewise, each of these bills continues to pile on the possibilities for dramatic changes to federal labor law, especially against the backdrop of the many rapid changes by the Trump administration at the NLRB. However, these pieces of legislation stand in stark contrast to the efforts of the Trump administration to reduce the federal workforce, including the Department of Labor and NLRB, as well as anticipated changes by the Board towards more employer-friendly stances.

As always, and especially in this dynamic time of change at the NLRB and in federal labor law, it is essential that employers stay mindful and up-to-date on the changes and what they might ultimately mean for their businesses.

The team at Faegre Drinker will continue to monitor and report on these developments.

Associate Chelsea K. Rader contributed to this update.