With equal parts Old West bravado and down-to-earth street lingo, the tone of yesterday's 1 p.m. keynote presentation by Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor Jordan Barab was no-nonsense forthrightness. He started his speech by giving thanks to all the safety professionals in the audience, assuring them that they are no longer alone in their fight for worker safety.

"Thank you, great job, and well done," Barab said. "You are not alone. We have your back and your fight is our fight . . . there's a new sheriff in town."

For years, the powerful Service Employees International Union has played a lead role in the campaign for a landmark federal law that would allow workers to join a labor organization simply by signing petitions.

Now, as part of a high-stakes battle in California, the union is urging federal officials to throw out petitions signed by tens of thousands of its own members who have asked to be represented by a rival upstart group.

The David-vs.-Goliath face-off pits the SEIU, its $300-million annual budget and its legions of staffers, lobbyists and lawyers against a band of about 150 insurgents who are either volunteers or being paid from donations. Most have defected from the SEIU's 2-million-strong ranks.

AT ISSUE: CARD CHECK

Organized labor's highest legislative priority in Congress is the Employee Free Choice Act, commonly known as “card check,” under which a union would be certified if 50 percent of the workers sign cards. Currently, a majority vote in a secret-ballot election is required in most cases.

Arguments in favor: If the majority in a workplace wants to form a union, it should be allowed to do so. Under the current system, there are too many ways for employers to thwart the will of the majority.

Arguments against: Card-check elections will lead to coercion by union organizers by taking away employee privacy. The bill's mandatory arbitration provision would lead to government interference in private business affairs.

Many companies that have cut jobs, pay and benefits during the recession may not be quick to restore them.

According to a new survey, 52% of companies expect to employ fewer people in three to five years than they did before the recession began. The survey of 179 companies was conducted this month by consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide Inc.