I am writing as your constituent to urge you to oppose H.R.
5408, the Faster Labor Contracts Act, and to vote against it if it reaches the
House floor.
This bill would fundamentally rewrite how first union
contracts are negotiated in this country. Under its terms, once a union is
certified, an employer would be required to begin bargaining within 10 days, be
pushed into federal mediation after 90 days, and face binding arbitration after
just 30 days of mediation — meaning a government-appointed arbitration panel
could impose the terms of a contract on a private business in as little as 144
days. Those terms would be legally binding for two years
I understand the argument that first contracts take too
long. But the solution to a slow process is not to hand the outcome to
unelected arbitrators who have no knowledge of a specific business's finances,
workforce, or industry. That is not bargaining — it is substituting government
imposition for genuine negotiation. And critically, workers themselves would
never get to vote on a contract handed down by an arbitration panel.
For Ohio's small businesses and manufacturers, who often
operate on thin margins and can't afford to have their labor costs dictated by
a panel with no stake in the outcome, this bill represents a serious threat.
The compressed timeline gives businesses almost no room to negotiate in good
faith before the federal government steps in and takes the decision out of
their hands entirely.
Congressman Miller, I know you understand the importance of
keeping government out of private negotiations and protecting the ability of
Ohio businesses to compete. I urge you to stand against this bill.
Thank you for your service and for hearing from your
constituents.