Employers are encouraged to monitor the status of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), which is a proposed amendment to the federal labor law that governs employer-union relations at employers other than airlines and railroads.  EFCA would eliminate secret ballot elections as the way for employees to decide whether to have union representation; this would be replaced with a "card check" procedure that would result in certification of the union if a majority of employees in an appropriate work group simply sign union cards.  In addition, EFCA would change significantly the process for negotiating a first contract.  Changes would include mandatory government-run arbitration to establish the terms and conditions of employment in the initial contract if the parties cannot reach agreement during direct and mediated negotiations.

To learn more about EFCA, contact the Ford & Harrison attorney with whom you usually work or request access to read our "Critical Analysis of EFCA" white paper by clicking on the link to the left.