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

Floor Speech

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Ms. HOYLE of Oregon. Mr. Speaker, it is hard enough to form a union, and in this building and in States across the country, we see efforts every day to make it even more difficult.

We are seeing yet another strategy to delay and deny union representation from workers who have overcome every hurdle to vote to belong to a union.

The average time between forming a union and a contract being signed is 458 days, and it is 548 days for nonprofits. Workers should not have to wait years after forming a union to get a contract, and employers should not be able to move the goalposts after the decision has been made to form a union.

My friend Representative Norcross brought forward the Faster Labor Contracts Act to address this issue, and I am proud to speak in favor of this bill.

Being proworker does not mean being antibusiness. Being probusiness shouldn't mean being antiworker. When workers do well and have a clear path to the middle class, have access to family-wage jobs, and safe working conditions, our economy thrives and our businesses do better.

I am a Member of Congress as a third-generation union member. Because my father and grandfather fought for or won better wages, hours, and working conditions with their unions, I am able to be here today.

This bill corrects a loophole and gives a timeline to negotiate a contract. That is what it does.

This is a proworker bill, and should not be a partisan issue, and it is not. We have Republicans who have stood up for workers as well. Either you stand with workers or you don't. Today, I am proud to stand with the workers of this country and support this very good bill.

Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``yes'' vote.

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