Union election rules toughened to help pass FAA funding bill

A compromise has been reached on Capitol Hill between Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio to toughen up the rules airline and railroad workers must follow to hold union elections. The issue was one of several issues holding up the passage of the bill securing the long-term funding plan for the Federal Aviation Administration. The compromise requires 50% of a company’s workers to indicate support for holding an election to form a new union before a vote can be held. Currently, the threshold is a 35%.