Press Releases

Education and Workforce Committee Chairman Tim Walberg (R-MI) today spoke on the House Floor in opposition to H.R. 5408, Faster Labor Contracts Act, legislation that allows government-appointed arbitrators to impose a union contract on workers and employers without their say.

Chairman Walberg's remarks, as prepared for delivery:

"I will give credit to whoever named this bill, because it certainly accomplishes two things faster. It fast-tracks government intrusion into private workplaces, and it erodes workers’ rights faster than we have ever seen before.   
 
"Under the FLCA, if the private parties involved do not reach a first contract on an accelerated timeline, a government‑appointed arbitration panel steps in and imposes one. The panel does not merely recommend contract provisions or serve as a neutral entity while parties work to reach an agreement. Instead, it imposes a contract on employers and employees for at least two years—without their consent.
 
"Let’s call this bill what it really is: a massive expansion of Washington’s power over American workers and job creators. It is the latest attempt to put workers under the thumb of federal bureaucrats. Under the bill, government bureaucrats can parachute into workplaces they have never set foot in, override the voices of workers in industries they know little about, and leave them with contracts that may not serve their interests.
 
"Supporters of this bill assure businesses and workers that it is about worker empowerment and efficiency. I may be misremembering the definition of empowerment, but I can guarantee it does not mean taking away a worker’s right to vote on his or her own contract and giving that power to a Washington bureaucrat with no stake in the outcome.
 
"As for efficiency, this bill hands unchecked power to the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS), an agency that President Trump rightly sought to eliminate for its corruption. Reports came out last year about the agency’s alleged mismanagement of funds and other fraudulent activities. Now, we are expected to give this agency the reins to decide workers’ wages, benefits, scheduling rules, disciplinary procedures, and working conditions whenever contract negotiations extend beyond an arbitrary timeframe. I really doubt this agency will be able to do much of anything efficiently. If the bill’s supporters truly care about efficiency, this is a strange way to show it.
 
"For more than 90 years, federal labor law has required employers and unions to bargain in good faith. Despite what supporters of this bill seem to suggest, that system is still working today. Whether it is the Teamsters and UPS or the United Auto Workers and the Big Three automakers, countless agreements across the country have been reached because both sides negotiated, compromised, and arrived at terms that made sense for their unique workplaces.
 
"Under this bill, small businesses in particular could be forced into long‑term, expensive, one‑size‑fits‑all contracts written by bureaucrats. Those contracts could mandate spending that small employers cannot sustain, threaten jobs, kill growth, and, in some cases, shut businesses down entirely.
 
"Simply put, the FLCA is not pro‑worker. It is an ideological Trojan horse that harms the very people it claims to help, empowers bureaucrats over workers, and undermines the collaborative process that has long defined American labor relations.
 
"Ultimately, workers value having a voice in workplace decisions. The Trump administration has prioritized putting America’s workers first and strengthening the nation’s workforce. This bill goes directly against the President’s vision for America to have the most capable and competitive workforce in the world. It takes decisions out of the hands of workers and job creators and places them in the hands of unelected bureaucrats.
 
"We do not need government‑imposed contracts. We do not need bureaucrats writing workplace rules. And we certainly do not need a bill that claims to champion workers while stripping them of their ability to approve contracts that govern their livelihoods.
 
"If Congress truly wants to support American workers, we should strengthen workplace democracy, protect workers’ rights, and encourage honest bargaining—not replace negotiation with government mandates.
 
"The FLCA is wrong for workers, wrong for businesses, wrong for the economy, and wrong for the country. I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing it."

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