U.S. Sens. Olympia Snowe (R-Falmouth) and Susan Collins (R-Bangor) are widely considered to be the two swing votes in the U.S. Senate, and will be the most sought after votes on a number of upcoming bills that break down partisan lines.

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) held a conference call with bloggers this morning to address the Employee Free Choice Act, a bill that aims to make it easier for unions to organize. Most Republicans oppose the bill. However, Democrats might only need one more Republican vote to get a filibuster-proof majority in support of the bill, DeMint said.

Snowe and Collins both oppose the bill on the grounds that it provides a means for workers to circumvent the private ballot process. Under the current system, union organizers must collect signed authorization cards from 30 percent of the potential bargaining unit. That triggers an election, and if a majority approve, then the union is formed.

The EFCA adds another vehicle for forming a union, where if organizers collect authorization cards from a majority of workers, the union is automatically recognized.

Third-party groups ran ads on behalf of Collins this election cycle, touting her opposition to the bill.

Snowe’s spokesman, John Gentzel, has issued the following statement on the bill.

"Senator Snowe has expressed opposition to the legislation, as she believes workers have a right to vote their conscience in a confidential environment. It is important employees remain protected when making crucial decisions affecting their jobs."

DeMint said it is possible that Democrats may tweak this part of the legislation to win Republican support at the last minute.

DeMint’s concerns go beyond the secret ballot. He blames unions for the decline in the manufacturing industry and says the EFCA is a shift toward socialism in the country.

Unions overwhelmingly supported Democrats in the past election cycle.

“This is payback for all the money that helped the Democrats get elected this year,” DeMint said.

In an October conference call with bloggers, Sen. John Ensign (R-Nevada) also expressed this sentiment, saying that if the EFCA passed then it would be a “40 to 50 year minimum” before Republicans would get back into power with all the union dollars flowing to Democrats.

DeMint said that under the EFCA, workers will be forced to join unions, therefore required to pay dues which will ultimately go to the Democratic Party.

He also blames unions for the failure of the auto industry, saying they slow down the process keeping the industry from keeping up with the times. Matt Schlobohm, public policy director for the Maine AFL-CIO, countered most of DeMint’s claims.

He said the AFL-CIO is having its members contact the Maine delegation to “relay strong support for rebuilding the middle class.” It is too early to tell if it has had an impact on Snowe and Collins, he said. He disagreed with DeMint’s claims that unions are responsible for the downturn in manufacturing. He said the decline is a result of failed trade and tax policies.

Schlobohm said that unions are not an arm of the Democratic Party, rather they work to “do what’s best for all the working people in this country.”

U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud (D-East Millinocket) is a co-sponsor of the bill, and Rep.-elect Chellie Pingree (D-North Haven) also supports it. The bill will likely come up next year, after President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in.