Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, predicted "real action, really soon" on healthcare reform and union "card-check" legislation, according to a recent interview with USA Today.

Stern claims to know 60 senators—the number needed to end debate on or pass legislation—who support the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) and would vote to pass that bill. Stern told USA Today he expects action on the bill by August of this year. The EFCA would make it easier for workers to unionize by eliminating the secret ballot process and allow potential union members to check a card indicating their support for organization. Nursing home providers are largely against the bill because it could lead to more unionization in nursing homes.

During the interview, Stern also conveyed his support for Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius (D) for the job of Secretary of Health and Human Services. He lauded President Obama's efforts on healthcare reform, and said he expected the Senate to begin work on the issue in earnest in June. The SEIU is the largest labor representative of healthcare workers in the nation.