H.R. 1409: Employee Free Choice Act of 2009

111th Congress, 1st Session


Official Title: To amend the National Labor Relations Act to establish an efficient system to enable employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to provide for mandatory injunctions for unfair labor practices during organizing efforts, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep Miller, George [CA-7] (introduced 3/10/2009)
Major Actions:
4/29/2009 Referred to House subcommittee. Status: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions.
3/10/2009 Referred to the House Committee on Education and Labor.


SUMMARY AS OF:
3/10/2009--Introduced.

Employee Free Choice Act of 2009 - Amends the National Labor Relations Act to require the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to certify a bargaining representative without directing an election if a majority of the bargaining unit employees have authorized designation of the representative (card-check) and there is no other individual or labor organization currently certified or recognized as the exclusive representative of any of the employees in the unit.

Sets forth special procedural requirements for reaching an initial collective bargaining agreement following certification or recognition.

Revises enforcement requirements with respect to unfair labor practices during union organizing drives, particularly a preliminary investigation of an alleged unfair labor practice (ULP) which may lead to proceedings for injunctive relief.

Requires that priority be given to a preliminary investigation of any charge that, while employees were seeking representation by a labor organization, or during the period after a labor organization was recognized as a representative until the first collective bargaining contract is entered into, an employer: (1) discharged or otherwise discriminated against an employee to encourage or discourage membership in the labor organization; (2) threatened to discharge or to otherwise discriminate against an employee in order to interfere with, restrain, or coerce employees in the exercise of guaranteed self-organization or collective bardaining rights; or (3) engaged in any other related ULP that significantly interferes with, restrains, or coerces employees in the exercise of such guaranteed rights.

Adds to remedies for such violations: (1) back pay plus liquidated damages; and (2) additional civil penalties.

Read the entire bill here.


Cosponsors: (226):
Rep Abercrombie, Neil [HI-1]
Rep Ackerman, Gary L. [NY-5]
Rep Adler, John H. [NJ-3]
Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4]
Rep Andrews, Robert E. [NJ-1]
Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24]
Rep Baca, Joe [CA-43]
Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3]
Rep Baldwin, Tammy [WI-2]
Rep Bean, Melissa L. [IL-8]
Rep Becerra, Xavier [CA-31]
Rep Berkley, Shelley [NV-1]
Rep Berman, Howard L. [CA-28]
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2]
Rep Bishop, Timothy H. [NY-1]
Rep Blumenauer, Earl [OR-3]
Rep Boccieri, John A. [OH-16]
Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3]
Rep Boucher, Rick [VA-9]
Rep Brady, Robert A. [PA-1]
Rep Braley, Bruce L. [IA-1]
Rep Brown, Corrine [FL-3]
Rep Capps, Lois [CA-23]
Rep Capuano, Michael E. [MA-8]
Rep Cardoza, Dennis A. [CA-18]
Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3]
Rep Carson, Andre [IN-7]
Rep Castor, Kathy [FL-11]
Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11]
Rep Clay, Wm. Lacy [MO-1]
Rep Cleaver, Emanuel [MO-5]
Rep Clyburn, James E. [SC-6]
Rep Cohen, Steve [TN-9]
Rep Connolly, Gerald E. "Gerry" [VA-11]
Rep Conyers, John, Jr. [MI-14]
Rep Costa, Jim [CA-20]
Rep Costello, Jerry F. [IL-12]
Rep Courtney, Joe [CT-2]
Rep Crowley, Joseph [NY-7]
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7]
Rep Dahlkemper, Kathleen A. [PA-3]
Rep Davis, Artur [AL-7]
Rep Davis, Danny K. [IL-7]
Rep Davis, Susan A. [CA-53]
Rep DeFazio, Peter A. [OR-4]
Rep DeGette, Diana [CO-1]
Rep Delahunt, William D. [MA-10]
Rep DeLauro, Rosa L. [CT-3]
Rep Dicks, Norman D. [WA-6]
Rep Dingell, John D. [MI-15]
Rep Doggett, Lloyd [TX-25]
Rep Donnelly, Joe [IN-2]
Rep Doyle, Michael F. [PA-14]
Rep Driehaus, Steve [OH-1]
Rep Edwards, Donna F. [MD-4]
Rep Ellison, Keith [MN-5]
Rep Engel, Eliot L. [NY-17]
Rep Eshoo, Anna G. [CA-14]
Rep Faleomavaega, Eni F.H. [AS]
Rep Farr, Sam [CA-17]
Rep Fattah, Chaka [PA-2]
Rep Filner, Bob [CA-51]
Rep Foster, Bill [IL-14]
Rep Frank, Barney [MA-4]
Rep Fudge, Marcia L. [OH-11]
Rep Gonzalez, Charles A. [TX-20]
Rep Grayson, Alan [FL-8]
Rep Green, Al [TX-9]
Rep Green, Gene [TX-29]
Rep Grijalva, Raul M. [AZ-7]
Rep Gutierrez, Luis V. [IL-4]
Rep Hall, John J. [NY-19]
Rep Halvorson, Deborah L. [IL-11]
Rep Hare, Phil [IL-17]
Rep Harman, Jane [CA-36]
Rep Hastings, Alcee L. [FL-23]
Rep Heinrich, Martin [NM-1]
Rep Herseth Sandlin, Stephanie [SD]
Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27]
Rep Himes, James A. [CT-4]
Rep Hinchey, Maurice D. [NY-22]
Rep Hinojosa, Ruben [TX-15]
Rep Hirono, Mazie K. [HI-2]
Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2]
Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17]
Rep Holt, Rush D. [NJ-12]
Rep Honda, Michael M. [CA-15]
Rep Hoyer, Steny H. [MD-5]
Rep Inslee, Jay [WA-1]
Rep Israel, Steve [NY-2]
Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2]
Rep Jackson-Lee, Sheila [TX-18]
Rep Johnson, Eddie Bernice [TX-30]
Rep Johnson, Henry C. "Hank," Jr. [GA-4]
Rep Kagen, Steve [WI-8]
Rep Kanjorski, Paul E. [PA-11]
Rep Kaptur, Marcy [OH-9]
Rep Kennedy, Patrick J. [RI-1]
Rep Kildee, Dale E. [MI-5]
Rep Kilpatrick, Carolyn C. [MI-13]
Rep Kilroy, Mary Jo [OH-15]
Rep Kind, Ron [WI-3]
Rep Kissell, Larry [NC-8]
Rep Klein, Ron [FL-22]
Rep Kosmas, Suzanne M. [FL-24]
Rep Kucinich, Dennis J. [OH-10]
Rep Langevin, James R. [RI-2]
Rep Larsen, Rick [WA-2]
Rep Larson, John B. [CT-1]
Rep Lee, Barbara [CA-9]
Rep Levin, Sander M. [MI-12]
Rep Lewis, John [GA-5]
Rep Lipinski, Daniel [IL-3]
Rep LoBiondo, Frank A. [NJ-2]
Rep Loebsack, David [IA-2]
Rep Lofgren, Zoe [CA-16]
Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18]
Rep Lujan, Ben Ray [NM-3]
Rep Lynch, Stephen F. [MA-9]
Rep Maffei, Daniel B. [NY-25]
Rep Maloney, Carolyn B. [NY-14]
Rep Markey, Betsy [CO-4]
Rep Markey, Edward J. [MA-7]
Rep Massa, Eric J. J. [NY-29]
Rep Matsui, Doris O. [CA-5]
Rep McCarthy, Carolyn [NY-4]
Rep McCollum, Betty [MN-4]
Rep McDermott, Jim [WA-7]
Rep McGovern, James P. [MA-3]
Rep McHugh, John M. [NY-23]
Rep McMahon, Michael E. [NY-13]
Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11]
Rep Meek, Kendrick B. [FL-17]
Rep Meeks, Gregory W. [NY-6]
Rep Melancon, Charlie [LA-3]
Rep Michaud, Michael H. [ME-2]
Rep Miller, Brad [NC-13]
Rep Mollohan, Alan B. [WV-1]
Rep Moore, Dennis [KS-3]
Rep Moore, Gwen [WI-4]
Rep Moran, James P. [VA-8]
Rep Murphy, Christopher S. [CT-5]
Rep Murphy, Patrick J. [PA-8]
Rep Murphy, Scott [NY-20]
Rep Murtha, John P. [PA-12]
Rep Nadler, Jerrold [NY-8]
Rep Napolitano, Grace F. [CA-38]
Rep Neal, Richard E. [MA-2]
Rep Norton, Eleanor Holmes [DC]
Rep Oberstar, James L. [MN-8]
Rep Obey, David R. [WI-7]
Rep Olver, John W. [MA-1]
Rep Ortiz, Solomon P. [TX-27]
Rep Pallone, Frank, Jr. [NJ-6]
Rep Pascrell, Bill, Jr. [NJ-8]
Rep Pastor, Ed [AZ-4]
Rep Payne, Donald M. [NJ-10]
Rep Perlmutter, Ed [CO-7]
Rep Peters, Gary C. [MI-9]
Rep Peterson, Collin C. [MN-7]
Rep Pierluisi, Pedro R. [PR]
Rep Pingree, Chellie [ME-1]
Rep Polis, Jared [CO-2]
Rep Price, David E. [NC-4]
Rep Quigley, Mike [IL-5]
Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3]
Rep Rangel, Charles B. [NY-15]
Rep Reyes, Silvestre [TX-16]
Rep Richardson, Laura [CA-37]
Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23]
Rep Rothman, Steven R. [NJ-9]
Rep Roybal-Allard, Lucille [CA-34]
Rep Ruppersberger, C. A. Dutch [MD-2]
Rep Rush, Bobby L. [IL-1]
Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17]
Rep Sablan, Gregorio [MP]
Rep Salazar, John T. [CO-3]
Rep Sanchez, Linda T. [CA-39]
Rep Sanchez, Loretta [CA-47]
Rep Sarbanes, John P. [MD-3]
Rep Schakowsky, Janice D. [IL-9]
Rep Schauer, Mark H. [MI-7]
Rep Schiff, Adam B. [CA-29]
Rep Schrader, Kurt [OR-5]
Rep Schwartz, Allyson Y. [PA-13]
Rep Scott, David [GA-13]
Rep Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [VA-3]
Rep Serrano, Jose E. [NY-16]
Rep Sestak, Joe [PA-7]
Rep Shea-Porter, Carol [NH-1]
Rep Sherman, Brad [CA-27]
Rep Sires, Albio [NJ-13]
Rep Skelton, Ike [MO-4]
Rep Slaughter, Louise McIntosh [NY-28]
Rep Smith, Adam [WA-9]
Rep Smith, Christopher H. [NJ-4]
Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18]
Rep Speier, Jackie [CA-12]
Rep Stark, Fortney Pete [CA-13]
Rep Stupak, Bart [MI-1]
Rep Sutton, Betty [OH-13]
Rep Tauscher, Ellen O. [CA-10]
Rep Teague, Harry [NM-2]
Rep Thompson, Bennie G. [MS-2]
Rep Thompson, Mike [CA-1]
Rep Tierney, John F. [MA-6]
Rep Titus, Dina [NV-3]
Rep Tonko, Paul D. [NY-21]
Rep Towns, Edolphus [NY-10]
Rep Tsongas, Niki [MA-5]
Rep Van Hollen, Chris [MD-8]
Rep Velazquez, Nydia M. [NY-12]
Rep Visclosky, Peter J. [IN-1]
Rep Walz, Timothy J. [MN-1]
Rep Wasserman Schultz, Debbie [FL-20]
Rep Waters, Maxine [CA-35]
Rep Watson, Diane E. [CA-33]
Rep Watt, Melvin L. [NC-12]
Rep Waxman, Henry A. [CA-30]
Rep Weiner, Anthony D. [NY-9]
Rep Welch, Peter [VT]
Rep Wexler, Robert [FL-19]
Rep Wilson, Charles A. [OH-6]
Rep Woolsey, Lynn C. [CA-6]
Rep Wu, David [OR-1]
Rep Yarmuth, John A. [KY-3]