Why Congress Shouldn’t Take Labor Cues from Europe

The European Union has essentially admitted Europe's labor economy is struggling. So why is Congress moving to copy it?

The Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA) passed the House last night, with 20 Republicans joining all 210 Democrats. It is now headed to the Senate.

The bill would impose a federally mandated timeline on labor contract negotiations: bargaining must begin within 10 days of unionization, federal mediators step in at 100 days, arbitration kicks in at 130, and by day 144 a federal panel can simply impose a two-year contract on both parties — whether they agreed to it or not.

Proponents say this levels the playing field for newly organized workers. In reality, this is a first step toward European-style sectoral bargaining, where government bureaucrats, not employers and employees, set the terms of working relationships.

The American labor model has long relied on decentralized, voluntary negotiations between workers and employers. That flexibility has helped produce the world's most dynamic economy. The FLCA would erode that flexibility by inserting government mandates into what should be private agreements.

When one-size-fits-all rules replace local negotiations, small businesses and community employers are often the first to feel the squeeze — through reduced hiring, delayed growth, and in some cases, closure.

The FCLA is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Let's hope the Senate realizes this and rejects it.

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The Center for Independent Employees (CIE) is a 501(c)(3) legal defense foundation that provides legal representation and assistance to independent employees who are opposed to union oppression in their workplaces.