Senator Kirsten Gillibrand stood with local labor groups in Clay Friday to announce a bill that would reduce delays and interference when workers want to form a union. Supports believe the measure could have impacts on local economic projects on the horizon.
When workers in a specific business or economic sector want to unionize, legal maneuvering and bad-faith negotiations can delay any collective bargaining agreement. Gillibrand said it can be a tactic of management that can drag on until the union effort runs out of momentum – or legal fees.
“Union leaders have already experienced, on average, it takes over a year for unions and employers to reach that first agreement. that first contract. That's A disgrace. The bipartisan bill would require employers to come to the table within 10 days and bargain in good faith. No more stalling, no more games. If you know how it typically goes, lawsuits are filed, delays are made, appeals are made, all to get you to disregard or to walk away from the unionization that you've just accomplished. It's terrible. So, we have to stop that,” said Gillibrand
The Faster Labor Contracts Act would end stalling tactics and accelerate first contracts. The act would call for collective bargaining to begin within 10 days of a certification vote. If an agreement can’t be reached, next would come mandatory mediation for up to 90 days. And if that fails to forge an agreement, binding arbitration. IBEW Local 43 Business Manager Al Marzullo said he believes such a law could be a key factor in local development.
“With historic investments by the CHIPS and Science Act, transformative projects like Micron Semiconductor Facility literally right up the road, we're seeing unprecedented growth and opportunity. But these projects rely on skilled, I stress skilled, stable workforce. And that means ensuring workers can secure those fair contracts without unnecessary delays,” Marzullo said.
Opponents say the deadlines are unrealistic for first contracts which often have many demands to iron out … and it brings government arbitrators into collective bargaining.
Gillibrand’s Upstate visit was one of a number of events this week ramping up pressure to pass the bill. Companion Faster Labor Contracts bills in both houses have bi-partisan support.
