[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2056]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



          SUPPORT OF THE LABOR FIRST CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GENE GREEN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 14, 2001

  Mr. GREEN of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of the Labor 
Relations First Contract Negotiations Act.
  The National Labor Relations Act guarantees the right of employees to 
organize and bargain collectively to improve living standards and 
working conditions. The right to organize is a basic civil right, and 
unions are an avenue to equity, fair treatment, and economic stability 
for working people. Free enterprise includes the freedom to organize as 
a unit to bargain collectively. Often, current law hinders this 
ability. That is why I have introduced the Labor Relations First 
Contract Negotiations Act.
  This bill requires mediation and, if necessary, binding arbitration 
of initial contract negotiation disputes. Under this proposed bill, if 
an employer and a newly elected representative have not reached a 
collective bargaining agreement within 60 days of the representative's 
certification, the employer and the representative will jointly select 
a mediator to help them reach an agreement. If they cannot agree on a 
mediator, one will be appointed for them by the Federal Mediation and 
Conciliation Service. In the event that the parties do not reach an 
agreement in 30 days, the remaining issues may be transferred to the 
Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service for binding arbitration.
  Let's make sure that everyone has a fair opportunity to negotiate a 
collective bargaining agreement. I urge my colleagues to join me in 
cosponsoring this legislation.

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