Dom Shannon at People’s World reports the “right” to a Union is a hollow promise if the bosses can simply run out the clock. This is the lesson being taught to the 11,000 Unionized Starbucks Workers who, years after their historic votes to organize a Union, are still struggling for a first contract. This corporate stonewalling, led first by CEO Howard Schultz and then Brian Niccol, is a classic Union-Busting tactic. It exposes a fundamental truth that Workers trying to organize their shops know all too well - the legal right to Collective Bargaining means very little without the power, or political will, to enforce it. But a new bipartisan Bill, however, aims to shift this balance of power. The Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA), introduced by U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (Democrat-New Jersey) and U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (Republican-Missouri), would make these delay tactics much harder for corporate management. The FLCA would amend the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to impose a strict timeline on negotiations, mirroring a key provision from the larger Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. This delay is not unique to Starbucks. Just ask Amazon Labor Union or the countless other Workers who organized a Union - yet still work without a contract. On average, new Unions spend 458 days fighting just to get a first contract - a staggering amount of time that drains Worker resources and morale. Starbucks Workers United has spent more than 450 days on Strike, a direct response to management’s refusal to bargain in good faith. The company’s strategy is a textbook example of how the Capitalist Class uses procedural delays to undermine Workers. Specifically, the FLCA would force management to the table within 10 days of a successful Union vote. If no agreement is reached within 90 days, negotiations would go to Federal mediation. Should that fail, a three-person Arbitration Panel would settle the contract. This process is designed to ensure new Unions secure a contract far faster than the current, protracted average. The legislation garnered significant support from Union Leaders, including International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers President Kenneth W. Cooper, who said: “Workers who courageously rally their Brothers and Sisters to organize and join a Union deserve a chance to get a speedy first contract without a fight. These Bills provide an opportunity to level the playing field for Working People.”

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