Examining The Employee Free Choice Act

This thesis compares both the arguments for and against the proposed Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and for unions more generally. The EFCA is a proposed amendment to the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) that was enacted in 1935. The EFCA would streamline union certification, provide interest arbitration, and strengthen the violations for violating the Act. Proponents argue that unions increase wages for workers, decrease income inequality, and increase worker productivity. Opponents argue that unions increase output losses due to strikes, increase output losses due to employment effects, and increase output losses due to restrictive work rules. This thesis will also present the rampant disregard for the NLRA in the form of increased unfair labor practices from employers. Lastly, this thesis will predict the likelihood that the EFCA will be passed and where it stands today.