Employee Free Choice Act of 2007 Sent to Senate
The Employee Free Choice Act of 2007 (the "Act") is currently wielding its way through the Senate after having passed the House of Representatives. The Act's stated purpose is to "amend the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations and to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts, and for other purposes." As is evident from this preamble, because of the subject areas touched on the Act will potentially affect the overwhelming majority of American employees who are not currently members of a union.
Specifically, the Act has three main components. The first would outlaw secret ballot elections by employees who are deciding whether or not to be represented by a labor union, instead allowing unions to obtain signed authorization cards from employees through which they could simply agree to labor representation. The Act would also institute new mediation and arbitration processes for first-contract disputes. Additionally, the Act would increase penalties against employers for various labor law violations, requiring payment of three times the amount of wages lost by employees and imposing civil fines of up to $20,000 per violation.
For specific questions regarding the Act's applicability to your workplace, please contact us directly.