OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Providing for Consideration of H.R. Faster Labor Contracts Act

Floor Speech

Date: June 9, 2026
Location: Washington, DC

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Mr. KRISHNAMOORTHI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 5408, the Faster Labor Contracts Act, and I salute Mr. Norcross and Mr. Scott for their outstanding leadership on this bill.

Across America, workers exercise one of the most fundamental rights protected under our labor laws--namely, the right to organize and bargain collectively. Yet, far too often, after workers vote to form a union, they are forced to wait months and even years before seeing the benefits of that decision.

In fact, the average time to secure a first contract exceeds 450 days. During that time, workers can face uncertainty, delays, and frustration while negotiations drag on with no clear path to resolution.

There are countless examples. A few years ago, in my home State of Illinois, Teamsters drivers at XPO Logistics in Aurora voted to form a union. Yet, more than 1 year after they voted, they were still fighting simply to get the company to come to the bargaining table.

Those workers had exercised their legal right to organize, but they remained without a first contract and without the certainty that they voted for.

The Faster Labor Contracts Act addresses this problem with a straightforward and commonsense framework. It requires newly certified unions and employers to begin bargaining promptly. If negotiations stall, the bill provides mediation and, if necessary, a neutral arbitration process to help both sides reach an initial agreement.

This bill ensures that when workers make their voices heard through a lawful election, that decision is respected. Workers deserve to know that their vote to organize will not be rendered meaningless by endless delays.

That is what this bill provides. It is practical, bipartisan, and strengthens confidence in our labor system, supporting working families and helping to create more stable workplaces.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly urge my colleagues to support the Faster Labor Contracts Act.

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