Final answer:
The Employee Free Choice Act is designed to streamline union formation and address problems in collective bargaining by allowing for a majority sign-up method, thereby reducing employer intimidation and supporting employee rights.
Step-by-step explanation:
Employee Free Choice Act Explanation, The Employee Free Choice Act is legislation intended to address problems related to union formation and collective bargaining. Historically, collective bargaining has been challenged by businesses attempting to eliminate it, advocating instead for individual worker contracts. Union leaders have argued that this undermines the collective power of workers. Collective action problems also occur when workers can benefit from union action like higher wages without participating in or committing to the union, leading to free-riding.
The Employee Free Choice Act seeks to streamline the process of forming unions without a formal election, allowing for a majority sign-up or card-check method. This legislative effort addresses the challenges involved in union formation by reducing employer intimidation and making it easier for employees to achieve collective representation.
Extensive lobbying against collective bargaining in the past, and the struggle between the interests of employers and employees, illustrates the contentious nature of labor laws. The Wagner Act and Fair Labor Standards Act are historical examples of government intervention in this arena, aiming to secure the rights of workers to organize and to establish fair labor standards.