ABC warns Faster Labor Contracts Act would harm construction industry

by anthony_capkun_2 | 10 June 2026 8:33 am

[1]

Associated Builders and Contractors[2]—a national trade association founded on the merit shop philosophy—believes strongly that the passage of the Faster Labor Contracts Act (FLCA) in the U.S. House of Representatives would be devastating for construction businesses and workers.

“The FLCA imposes arbitrary and unrealistic deadlines on employers to finalize negotiations with newly elected unions or face ‘binding interest arbitration of first contracts’,” said ABC president and CEO Michael Bellaman.

The association explains that, under FLCA, an employer must begin bargaining with a newly recognized union within 10 days of receiving a request to collectively bargain.

If the employer and union do not reach an agreement on a first contract within 90 days, the parties must participate in mediation.

If mediation is also unsuccessful after a few weeks, a three-person arbitration panel chosen by the parties will settle the dispute by majority vote, and the decision will be binding.

Should the parties fail to identify individuals to join the arbitration panel within two weeks, the federal government will select an arbitrator who will impose a collective bargaining agreement between the parties.

According to ABC, this means that—for the first time in American history—the federal government could appoint an individual “to dictate exactly what is included in a contract between two private negotiating parties.”

“The consequences of this misguided bill include destroying voluntary agreement and good-faith labor-management negotiations, and could expand to disputes over wages, benefits, and working conditions to include social or political issues unrelated to the day-to-day needs of workers and employers,” Bellaman continued.

ABC[3] says it supports legislation that upholds the intent of the National Labor Relations Act. However, that act was designed to promote voluntary collective bargaining, not government-imposed contracts.

“By mandating arbitration for negotiation delays,” ABC explains, “the FLCA removes workers’ right to vote on contracts and deprives businesses of due process protections under the Fifth Amendment. The consequences would be devastating for construction businesses and workers, forcing companies to accept unworkable contract terms that threaten their viability.”

ABC is calling on the Trump administration and U.S. Senate to “reject this egregious legislation [and to] stand with workers, entrepreneurs and small businesses” instead.

Learn more about ABC’s position on the Faster Labor Contracts Act at protectingamericanworkers.org[4].

Source URL: https://www.metalconstructionnews.com/news/abc-warns-faster-labor-contracts-act-would-harm-construction-industry/

---