Defying a veto threat from the White House, the House of Representatives voted today to approve legislation that would make it easier for unions to organize workers. After a fierce partisan debate, the House voted largely along party lines, 241 to 185, for the bill, which would enable employees at a workplace to unionize as soon as a majority sign cards saying they favor a union. Thirteen Republicans voted for the bill and two Democrats voted against. Companies now have the right to insist on a secret-ballot election to determine whether their workers want to unionize, although labor leaders and many Democrats assert that such elections are often poisoned by employer coercion and intimidation.
See "House Votes to Ease Rules on Union Organizing", Steven Greenhouse, The New York Times, February 28, 2007