The American Prospect's Harold Meyerson recently explained why Labor Secretary-designate Hilda Solis' nomination vote is being held up:

Republican senators have a modest proposal for Hilda Solis: that if she’s confirmed as Labor Secretary, she recuse herself from any advocacy for the Employee Free Choice Act.

That’s quite the suggestion. Rather like asking Robert Gates not to advocate for the armed forces, or Judd Gregg not to champion American business, or President Obama’s environmental picks not to support stricter fuel-efficiency standards. But then, Republicans’ opposition to unions is close to clinically pathological.

Rep. Phil Hare talked to MSNBC's Rachel Maddow about the issue last night:

Hare makes a few important points here.  One, EFCA wouldn't get rid of the "secret ballot," rather it would allow workers to choose whether they wanted to unionize via election or petition (known as "card check") -- a choice currently left in the hands of the employer.  Two, if workers can currently decertify a union using card check, "Heaven forbid that we would want to allow workers to join the union using the very same thing."  Three, the talk about preserving the secret ballot overlooks how the process is often delayed for long stretches by employers while they run intimidating anti-union campaigns.