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Signaling an attempt to move forward on stalled U.S. union legislation, AFL-CIO president John Sweeney would back speedy votes by workers on whether to join a union rather than the much-attacked “card check” provision, The New York Times reported on Saturday.

Sweeney, head of the largest U.S. labor federation, told the newspaper he would accept a fast election campaign because it would help stem management interference during union organizing drives.

The card check legislation, backed by U.S. President Barack Obama, would let workers decide whether to unionize by signing a petition or holding a secret-ballot election. Employers can now require a secret ballot.

Any move away from card check would mark a victory for the business community, the Times said.

Sweeney said he “could live with” fast or snap elections “as long as there is a fair process that protects workers against anti-union intimidation by employers and eliminates the threats to workers,” the paper reported.

Critics of the legislation say unions could bully workers into signing a petition and that a secret ballot is a tenet of democracy. Backers of the bill argue companies have undermined elections with threats against workers, anti-union campaigns and lengthy delays auto loans for people with bad credit.

Richard Trumka, secretary treasurer of AFL-CIO and the likely successor to Sweeney as president, told Reuters in July he was ready to push on a card check law, which has faced stiff opposition from Republican lawmakers.

The Employee Free Choice Act has been bogged down in the Senate, opposed by a vigorous lobbying effort, and compromises had been expected.

Some key Democratic senators have told labor leaders they could not muster the 60 votes needed to assure passage of a bill that included card check, but the union officials have held fast to the idea, at least publicly, the Times said.

“If modifying that in some way or another is going to bring some more votes for the bill, I think that’s worth it,” the paper quoted Sweeney as saying.

Under Sweeney’s idea, the Times said, a secret ballot would be held within a week or so of a significant number of workers petitioning for a union — far shorter than the current period when campaigns can last for months.

(Writing by Chris Michaud; Editing by John O’Callaghan)

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