WATCH LIST:  Employee Free Choice Act

• EFCA Updates

• H.R. 800 / S. 1041

The Employee Free Choice Act (H.R. 800; S. 1041)  would amend the National Labor Relations Act to make it significantly easier for unions to organize employees, to require binding arbitration of first contracts after 120 days, and to stiffen penalties for certain unfair labor practices.

The EFCA was passed by the House of Representatives on March 1, 2007 by a vote of 241 - 185. On June 26, 2007, the Senate voted 51-48 on a Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to Consider the bill. Because 60 votes were needed to invoke cloture, the bill is unlikely to pass during the 110th Congress.