Labor Unions

Trend: Do You Approve or Disapprove of Labor Unions?

Trend: Is anyone living in your household a member of a labor union?

Trend: Thinking about the future, do you think labor unions in this country will become stronger than they are today, the same as today, or weaker than they are today?

Trend: Would you, personally, like to see labor unions in the United States have more influence than they have today, the same amount as today, or less influence than they have today?

Overall, do you think labor unions mostly help or mostly hurt [INSERT ITEM, RANDOM ORDER]? How about -- [INSERT NEXT ITEM]?

Trend: Now I am going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one -- a great deal, quite a lot, some, or very little? Organized labor

Trend: Have you heard of state laws called right-to-work or "open shop" laws?

Trend: Some states have passed right-to-work or open shop laws that say each worker has the right to hold his job in a company, no matter whether he joins a labor union, or not. If you were asked to vote on such a law, would you vote for it, or against it?

Trend: Those in favor of right-to-work or open shop laws say that no American should be required to join any private organization, like a labor union, against his will. Do you agree or disagree with this?

Trend: Those opposed to right-to-work or open shop laws say that when all workers share the gains won by the labor union, all workers should have to join and pay dues to give the union financial support. Do you agree or disagree with this?

As I read off each of the following, please tell me whether you think it has too much power, about the right amount of power, or not enough power. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

2011 Mar 25-27 Sorted by "too much"	Too much	About right	Not enough	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
Lobbyists	71	13	8	8
Major corporations	67	21	9	3
Banks and financial institutions	67	23	8	2
The federal government in Washington	58	30	9	3
Labor unions	43	28	24	4
The government in your state	34	49	15	2
The courts, legal system and judges	34	49	14	3
Organized religion and churches	25	46	24	4
The municipal or local government where you live	22	53	21	3
The military	14	53	28	4

What word or phrase comes to mind when you think of labor unions? [OPEN-ENDED]

	*2011 Mar 3-6*
	%
Good/Great	10
No longer needed/Unnecessary	6
For them/Approve/In favor	6
Needed/Necessary	6
Dislike	4
Against/Not for	4
Bad/Unfair	4
Powerful	3
Worker's rights	3
Crooks/Thieves	3
Corrupt	2
Protection	2
OK/Fair	2
Greedy	2
Outdated	1
Strikes	1
Collective bargaining	1
Helpful	1
Positive	1
Negative	1
Controlling	1
Evil	1
Get rid of/Disband	1

Other	23

No opinion	12

Thinking now about state government efforts to balance their budgets, please say whether you would favor or oppose taking each of the following steps to help balance your state's budget. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

2011 Mar 3-6 (sorted by "favor")	Favor	Oppose	No opinion
	%	%	%
Reducing or eliminating certain state programs	65	32	3
Reducing the number of workers on the state payroll	62	35	3
Changing state laws to limit the bargaining power of state employee unions	49	45	6
Reducing state worker pay and benefits	43	54	4
Raising state taxes on businesses	39	58	2
Raising state income or sales taxes	33	66	1
Borrowing more money by issuing bonds	30	66	3

As you may know, many U.S. state governments are facing large budget deficits this year. Please say whether you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose each of the following ways state officials could reduce their budget deficits. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

A. Increasing state sales, income or other taxes

	Strongly favor	Favor	Oppose	Strongly oppose	No opinion
2011 Feb 21	4%	23	44	27	2

B. Reducing or eliminating certain state programs

	Strongly favor	Favor	Oppose	Strongly oppose	No opinion
2011 Feb 21	15%	32	36	12	5

C. Reducing pay or benefits the state provides for government workers

	Strongly favor	Favor	Oppose	Strongly oppose	No opinion
2011 Feb 21	15%	29	39	14	3

As you may know, one way the legislature in Wisconsin is seeking to reduce its budget deficit is by passing a bill that would take away some of the collective bargaining rights of most public unions, including the state teachers' union. Would you favor or oppose such a bill in your state?

	Favor	Oppose	No opinion
2011 Feb 21	33%	61	6

In states in which government workers belong to unions, do you think those unions are generally more helpful or more harmful to those states?

	More helpful	More harmful	No opinion
2011 Feb 21	45%	46	9

In the labor disputes of the last two or three years, have your sympathies, in general been -- [ROTATED: on the side of unions (or) on the side of the companies]?

	Unions	Companies	Neither (vol.)	Both (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2005 Aug 28-30	52	34	6	3	5
2002 Aug 5-8	44	36	5	5	10
2001 Aug 16-19	45	37	4	5	9
1999 Aug 24-26	45	37	5	6	7
1952 Oct 17-22	42	29	--	3	26
1952 Oct 3-8	45	29	--	4	23
1952 Sep 28-Oct 2	42	33	--	1	23
1952 Sep 20-25	40	34	--	1	25
1952 Jul 25-30	47	36	--	--	17
(vol.) = Volunteered response