Teamsters Push for Bipartisan Support on Faster Labor Contracts Act

The Facts -

Teamsters Rally for Legislative Action to Expedite Union Contracts

Press Contact: Kara Deniz Phone: (202) 497-6610 Email: KDeniz@teamster.org

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Teamsters General President Sean M. O’Brien, alongside members from Amazon and Corewell Health East, appealed to members of the U.S. House of Representatives to support a discharge petition aimed at advancing the Faster Labor Contracts Act. The petition, introduced by Rep. Donald Norcross (D-NJ, 1^st District), seeks to compel a vote on the bill.

Teamsters General President Sean M. O'Brien underscored the urgency, stating, “In America today, workers are forced to wait 458 days on average before obtaining a first union contract. This is unfair, it’s un-American, and it must be fixed.” The legislation proposes that employers must initiate bargaining within 10 days post a successful unionization vote. This effort has gained momentum, with Senators Josh Hawley (R-MO) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) backing the Senate version of the bill.

Rachel Szadyr, a cardiac ICU nurse at Corewell Health East, shared her experience: “When we won our election to become Teamsters in November 2024, we were eager to get to the table, but it wasn’t until June 2025 that we started bargaining for our first union contract. And today, we are still fighting for our first contract nearly a year since we started negotiations.” She emphasized the necessity for timely contracts and accountability for employers prolonging negotiations.

Under the leadership of the O’Brien-Zuckerman administration, over 90,000 workers have joined the Teamsters Union in the past four years, including 10,000 nurses at Corewell Health East and nearly 10,000 Amazon employees. The Amazon workers have faced prolonged delays, with the company yet to engage in contract negotiations despite judicial directives.

Novelette Russell, an Amazon worker from JFK8 in Staten Island, highlighted the challenges faced: “Amazon, the worst employer in America, refuses to recognize our union even though multiple judges have consistently demanded that it do so.” Russell advocates for the Faster Labor Contracts Act, which aims to enforce compliance and improve working conditions by holding unyielding employers accountable.

With a legacy dating back to 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents over 1.3 million members across the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico. More details can be found on their website: Teamster.org. Follow their updates on Twitter @Teamsters and on Facebook.

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