WASHINGTON Legislation being pushed by unions that would make it easier for them to organize companies in the U.S. was introduced in both the House and the Senate last month.

The Employee Free Choice Act, also known as "card check" legislation, would enable workers to form a union if a majority of employees simply sign authorization cards, taking away the ability of businesses to require a secret-ballot election.

The bill is widely expected to pass the House but faces a tougher fight in the Senate, according to reports.

Many business and management interests, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, are against the bill.

"Labor's goal is to unionize small and large employers, radically regulate the workplace, and dictate the business decisions of public companies," said Tom Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and former president of the American Trucking Associations.

"(Organized labor is) not playing around, and neither can we," Donohue said as he announced a national, multimillion-dollar program to fight card check and other labor initiatives.

Labors view is that the current procedure is unfair because it gives management the choice of calling for the secret ballot.

"Management-controlled election process does not allow workers the freedom to make their own choice about whether to have a union," said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. "Its one-sided rules give the bosses all the power and all the choices."

Conversely, business leaders contend that card check would give unions the ability to coerce and intimidate workers during the sign-up process. A private ballot would make it difficult for any authoritative interest -- be it management or union leaders -- to interfere with an individual's choice, they argue.

Legendary investor and prominent Obama economic adviser Warren Buffett announced his opposition to the legislation. In an appearance on cable television, Buffett said, "I think the secret ballot's pretty important in the country. I'm against card check, to make a perfectly flat statement."