WASHINGTON — Congress passed the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act Wednesday, which it said will restore the balance between employers and organized labor set forth in the National Labor Relations Act.
According to supporters, the bill ensures that employers will have at least 14 days to prepare a case to present to the National Labor Relations Board and the right to raise additional concerns through the pre-election hearing process; it also ensures that no election is held in less than 35 days, so workers have a chance to hear both sides of the debate before deciding how to vote.
The bill was proposed in October after the NLRB proposed changes governing union elections, including providing just seven days for legal counsel to present an employer's case and imiting an employer's ability to raise additional issues of concern in the pre-election hearing process; giving workers 10 days to consider the conequencees of joining a union; and requiring employers to provide the union with more information about the workforce, including personal phone numbers, email addresses and work schedules.
The National Grocers Association said Thursday it applauds the bill's passage, criticizing the NLRB for trying to tilt the playing field in favor of organized labor. "It's essential that an employee's rights to hear from both labor and employers during an organizing campaign is protected," the association said in a statement. The decision of the NLRB to approve a number of controversial changes is yet another example why it's important for Congress to intercede."
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