Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/union-leaders-press-president-obama-for-more-support Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Nearly a dozen union leaders met with President Obama Monday in an effort to gain support for key legislation now before Congress. Ray Suarez talks with experts about the bills and their potential impact on workers and employers. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. JIM LEHRER: And finally tonight, the scrap over making it easier to unionize. Ray Suarez has that story. RAY SUAREZ: More than a dozen union leaders met with President Obama at the White House today trying to persuade him to push harder on key bills pending before Congress. One of those is called the Employee Free Choice Act, and it includes two key provisions business and labor are fighting over.The first, commonly referred to as card check, would allow unions to organize at a business once a majority of workers sign cards saying they want unions there. That would be an alternative to a secret ballot system, as is the case now.The second concerns binding arbitration. Under the bill, if management and a new union can't agree on a first contract within four months, a federal arbitrator can impose a deal.Since the bill would have big ramifications, both labor and business have already taken to the airwaves. Here are a pair of TV ads from both sides airing in select markets. The second has aired in Louisiana. WORKER: I hope to work just one job for a change. WORKER: I hope to have some health care for a change. WORKER: I hope to be able to save a little for a change. ANNOUNCER: We voted on Election Day for hope and change. Now it's time for action. The Employee Free Choice Act lets workers choose to join a union to earn better pay, health benefits, and job security. The Employee Free Choice Act: It's time the economy worked for everyone again. WORKER: We cannot let Congress do this to Louisiana. ANNOUNCER: Congress wants to strip away the secret ballot… WORKER: The private vote is so important to our basic fundamental rights. ANNOUNCER: … and let bureaucrats dictate to Louisiana businesses. WORKER: A bureaucrat from Washington could never tell any private enterprise how to run their business. WORKER: If this bill passes, jobs in Louisiana will be lost. ANNOUNCER: Tell Congress: Protect Louisiana from card check. Paid for by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. WORKER: We don't need to compromise. We need to vote it down.