The Congress began work Tuesday on a controversial piece of legislation that is commonly referred to as "card check." You've likely heard a lot about it, particularly from the political campaign this past fall.

At its core, the card check legislation eliminates the secret ballot for workers voting on whether to form a labor union at their place of business. The ability to form a union is certainly a right of workers. And the right to cast a ballot in secret is one that goes back to the formation of our democracy.

Our industry has a strong tradition of working with unions. Many of our employees are members of labor unions and, working together with non-union employees, they make our businesses successful.

So if a union is worth forming, and it is indeed necessary to protect the rights and livelihood of the worker, then shouldn't a vote be able to stand on its own merits?

Taking away the right to cast a ballot in private just seems, well, un-American.