On the heels of yesterday's in-depth analysis of the Democrats' spat with the Chamber of Commerce over EFCA, today's Wall Street Journal reports:

Retailers are meeting with store managers to warn how a strong showing for Democrats in the Nov. 4 election could cause what they fear would be more economic pain for their companies, in particular by potentially making it easier for unions to organize stores.

The companies are worried about presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama's stated support for the Employee Free Choice Act, which would do away with secret balloting and allow unions to form if a majority of employees sign cards favoring unionization. The legislation, retailers fear, would have improved chances of becoming law under a Democratic administration.

Retailers who operate a large number of stores, and thus retain a large number of employees, will obviously provide an attractive target -- no pun intended -- for union organizers empowered by EFCA:

Target Corp. Chief Executive Gregg Steinhafel said his staff has been working to educate senators about how the bill would hurt retailers by raising costs and lowering sales.

"We call it the Employee No Choice Act," he told analysts this week. "We think it could be very damaging to all of American business, and we stand strongly opposed to it."

Mr. Steinhafel said he hopes the makeup of the Senate next year will keep the legislation from becoming law, "but we're not counting on it."