As part of the Coalition for a Democratic Workplace, Argentum is opposing H.R. 5408, the Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA), which would impose mandatory arbitration on the private sector and allow the federal government to mandate terms of contracts between unions and companies.
The FLCA is a core provision of the Protecting the Right to Organize Act. Under this proposal, after a union organizing campaign, the parties would have less than 150 days to reach a first contract. If no agreement is reached, a government-appointed arbitrator would dictate the terms, to include overriding private-sector labor negotiations and imposing contract terms on workplaces. This would mark a significant shift from voluntary agreements, worker choice, and free enterprise.
Last month, U.S. Representative Donald Norcross (D-NJ), filed a discharge petition to bypass the traditional legislative process and force the House of Representatives to hold a vote on the bill. Discharge petitions require at least 218 signatures to fast track a bill, and several have already succeeded not only in bringing bills up for a vote, but those bills have been passed through this method. As Democrats currently hold 214 seats, the petition would only need four Republicans to sign the petition to meet the threshold, and there are currently 17 Republican cosponsors on the bill. Argentum is working with our coalition partners to oppose the discharge petition and the legislation more broadly. Should it pass the House, it would almost certainly be blocked from consideration in the Senate, where it would need 60 votes to advance.
Separately, last week House Education and Workforce Committee Chair Tim Walberg (R-MI) introduced H.R. 8210, A Stronger Workforce for America Act of 2026” (ASWA) to reauthorize and modernize the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). The legislation includes improvements to federal labor market reporting data, reforms to the eligible training provider list, support for virtual employment services, dedicated funding for upskilling workers through individual training accounts, on-the-job learning, and metrics to strengthen accountability. However, it would transfer all adult education and family literacy functions from the Department of Education to the Department of Labor, which is opposed by Democrats and will likely derail the possibility of bipartisan support.