Later this year, the House is expected to consider the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, a bill that would rein in the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and prevent the board from unilaterally streamlining the union representation elections, also known as “quickie elections”. In recent months, the NLRB has attempted to speed up union elections and limit appeals and procedural safeguards that protect the integrity of representation elections. The board’s actions may reduce the amount of time an employer can address their employees before a vote during an organizing drive.
The Workforce Fairness and Democracy Act would return balance to the workplace by:
- Providing for a fair hearing process by allowing employers at least 14 days to prepare their case for the board and allows employers to raise issues during the hearing.
- Prohibiting ambush elections by requiring a campaign period of at least 35 days prior to an election. This will guarantee that workers have an opportunity to hear both sides of the unionization debate.
- Reinstating the long-standing criteria that the board has traditionally used for determining the appropriateness of a proposed bargaining unit.
- Allowing employees to choose how they may be contacted by union