On another front...what does "friendly to labor" mean??? doublespeak?

July 17, 2009
Democrats Drop Key Part of Bill to Assist Unions
By STEVEN GREENHOUSE
A half-dozen senators friendly to labor have decided to drop a central
provision of a bill that would have made it easier to organize workers.

The so-called card-check provision — which senators decided to scrap
to help secure a filibuster-proof 60 votes — would have required
employers to recognize a union as soon as a majority of workers signed
cards saying they wanted a union. Currently, employers can insist on a
secret-ballot election, a higher hurdle for unions.

The abandonment of card check was another example of the power of
moderate Democrats to constrain their party’s more liberal legislative
efforts. Though the Democrats have a 60-40 vote advantage in the
Senate, and President Obama supports the measure, several moderate
Democrats opposed the card-check provision as undemocratic.

In its place, several Senate and labor officials said, the revised
bill would require shorter unionization campaigns and faster elections.

While disappointed with the failure of card check, union leaders
argued this would still be an important victory because it would give
companies less time to press workers to vote against unionizing.

Some business leaders hailed the dropping of card check, while others
called the move a partial triumph because the bill still contained
provisions they oppose.

The card-check provision was so central to the legislation that it was
known as “the card-check bill.” Labor had called the bill its No. 1
objective, and both labor and business deployed their largest, most
expensive lobbying campaigns ever in the battle over it.

more at link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/17/business/17union.html