Interesting interview in WSJ this weekend with SEIU President, Andy Stern.  Discussing organized labor's priorities, EFCA was far from the first thing on Mr. Stern's lengthy list:

"We just won an election. It's no secret." By "we," Andy Stern means "American workers." He also means Big Labor. Speaking on behalf of the fastest growing trade group in America, the Service Employees International Union -- and as one of labor's most powerful figures today -- Mr. Stern sets this simple bar for the Obama presidency: "I expect nothing less than what he said he was going to do, and we should hold him accountable."

From his perspective -- atop SEIU's Washington headquarters, which offers an enviable view of the National Cathedral -- the first part is straightforward: "Massive investment" in a stimulus for the economy, the car industry, deficit-ridden states and infrastructure. Then universal health care, an issue on which the SEIU boss helped push the Democratic consensus leftward, and "tax cuts for the middle class" (and hikes for the upper bracketed). At the end of his list, Mr. Stern puts something particularly dear to unions: Quick adoption of the Employee Free Choice Act, commonly known as "card check," which would end secret ballots in union elections.

The bit about accountability is no idle warning. Organized labor put up some $450 million to get Democrats elected. The SEIU accounted for $85 million of that, making Mr. Stern's union the single biggest contributor to either party in this election cycle. And just in case, the SEIU set aside an additional $10 million fund to get people unelected if need be. "We would like to make sure people appreciate that we take them at their word and when they don't live up to their word there should be consequences," he says.

Two extremely notable things jump out from this piece: 

(1)  The Union agenda for President-Elect Obama extends far beyond the card-check issue into public works, government contracting, Davis-Bacon, tax policy and industry bail-outs.  Mr. Stern, with an ample remaining war chest, is not content with 58-59 votes in the Senate, and appears intent on solidifying and expanding that base in the 2010 elections if necessary.

(2)  There may, may -- may -- be some realization in some areas of organized labor that EFCA, as currently drafted, may have to wait a little bit -- at least beyond the first 100 hours or so.  Whether that may open the door to some form of compromise proposals or allows time for more thoughtful analysis of potential labor law reform is worth watching closely.