Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Unions' Approval at Lowest Point Since 1981, Poll Finds
CNS News ^ | September 1, 2006 | Randy Hall

Posted on 09/03/2006 4:56:53 PM PDT by takeemout

Unions' Approval at Lowest Point Since 1981, Poll Finds By Randy Hall CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor September 01, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - A new Zogby poll has some unwelcome Labor Day news for union officials: Approval of unions is at its lowest point since 1981, and almost three-quarters of workers in the U.S. say they don't want to belong to a labor union.

"These results help explain the continued decline of union membership and do not bode well for the future of unions," said David Denholm, president of the conservative Public Service Research Foundation (PSRF), which studies labor unions and union influence on public policy.

"Working Americans realize that unionism isn't in their best interests," Denholm told Cybercast News Service.

In conducting the poll for the PSRF, Zogby International interviewed 803 employed persons selected to accurately represent the demographics of the general American population, Denholm said.

When asked, "In general, do you approve of labor unions?" only 55 percent replied affirmatively. When asked, "Would you personally like to be a member of a labor union?" 74 percent said "No."

(Excerpt) Read more at cnsnews.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: electionyear; polls; unions
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-84 next last
To: ItisaReligionofPeace

I lived in J-ville (Mandarin actually) from 87-89. I remember cost of living being being a good bit higher there as soon as I got to P'cola. I'm glad I bought my house in 91, I couldn't afford it now.


61 posted on 09/03/2006 7:12:00 PM PDT by stm (Good people sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 55 | View Replies]

To: hardworking

Very well said down to the very last period. It sounds like you went to the same school I did. For those who think this is a recent phenomenon my first year of college was 1952. There were serious students and then there were the lazys and misfits who wanted a degree but did not want to work for it, so they took the easy way out.....majored in education.


62 posted on 09/03/2006 7:36:16 PM PDT by Islander2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

Comment #63 Removed by Moderator

To: bfree
Look for the union label and buy another product.

I certainly won't buy that other product, though, if it is made in China (or some other repressive dictatorship).

64 posted on 09/03/2006 7:57:41 PM PDT by justiceseeker93
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies]

To: takeemout

If unions had their way, every lazy goon would be making $80 an hour, and a toaster would cost a hundred...


65 posted on 09/03/2006 8:04:43 PM PDT by GOPJ (Note to MSM - when dems say "jump", you don't have to ask "how high".)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: anthropos

Any conservative or REPUB that belongs to the NEA is silly. You do realize they give money for gun control, abortion, immigrant, gay marriage activist groups. Have you checked out what your UNION supports. Alot of teachers refuse to join. I have 3 family members who are teachers and do not belong to the UNION. If UNIONS would just deal with job related issues and stay out of social issues they might be liked more. However they have become to be what they really always were a left wing political machine. First controlled by Commies, Then the Mafia and now the Socialists. They make me ill.


66 posted on 09/03/2006 8:23:49 PM PDT by therut
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: takeemout
"These results help explain the continued decline of union membership and do not bode well for the future of unions...or the 'rat party......
67 posted on 09/03/2006 9:25:16 PM PDT by Intolerant in NJ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: nwrep
Union Bosses...$300,000 per year

68 posted on 09/03/2006 9:33:19 PM PDT by Wolverine (A Concerned Citizen)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: anthropos
I agree that most unions have served their purpose, but I do still feel that teacher's unions are important...

Sure. Keep 'em safe to spread their leftist schpiel.

Let's see... nine months work for twelve months pay. An air conditioned comfortable environment. Protection courtesy of the union. Gotta love that.

69 posted on 09/03/2006 9:39:07 PM PDT by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: buccaneer81
Thank the Union Boss

70 posted on 09/03/2006 10:13:16 PM PDT by Wolverine (A Concerned Citizen)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: takeemout
.....When asked, "Would you personally like to be a member of a labor union?" 74 percent said "No."

So only 26% would like it. That's still too many.

71 posted on 09/03/2006 10:17:40 PM PDT by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cobra64
But they are wonderful for the DNC coffers...
72 posted on 09/03/2006 10:19:34 PM PDT by endthematrix (None dare call it ISLAMOFACISM!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: anthropos
RE: Service workers unions

SEIU works with ANSWER wants illegals for amnesty, "free" universal healthcare and funnels millions into the DNC...

WONDERFUL?
73 posted on 09/03/2006 10:25:42 PM PDT by endthematrix (None dare call it ISLAMOFACISM!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: ItisaReligionofPeace

Sadly, no....it wasn't bull. PC crap run amok is what it was...and he was a good teacher who cared about his students and spent a lot of time working to help them.


74 posted on 09/04/2006 8:07:44 AM PDT by anthropos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 57 | View Replies]

To: endthematrix
RE: Service workers unions

Thanks for the reply...that was largely what I had heard...suggestions for further reading up on SEIU?

75 posted on 09/04/2006 8:16:23 AM PDT by anthropos
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: Cobra64

He grabbed the little girl's sign and wripped it to pieces - one of the most highly discussed items on FR at the time it happened.


76 posted on 09/04/2006 8:39:41 AM PDT by Republican Wildcat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: Republican Wildcat
He grabbed the little girl's sign and wripped it to pieces - one of the most highly discussed items on FR at the time it happened.

In a way I'm glad I missed the FR thread. It would have got my blood boiling. Then again, over the decades we've all heard of the expressions "union thugs" and "union goons" so I shouldn't be surprised to read of this.

77 posted on 09/04/2006 8:53:41 AM PDT by Cobra64 (All we get are lame ideas from Republicans and lame criticism from dems about those lame ideas.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 76 | View Replies]

To: takeemout

Day after BUMPUS!! :-)


78 posted on 09/04/2006 9:35:25 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy (11th FReeper Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Unnecessarily Excerpt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ConservativeStLouisGuy
Unions' Approval at Lowest Point Since 1981, Poll Finds

A new Zogby poll has some unwelcome Labor Day news for union officials: Approval of unions is at its lowest point since 1981, and almost three-quarters of workers in the U.S. say they don't want to belong to a labor union.

"These results help explain the continued decline of union membership and do not bode well for the future of unions," said David Denholm, president of the conservative Public Service Research Foundation (PSRF), which studies labor unions and union influence on public policy.

"Working Americans realize that unionism isn't in their best interests," Denholm told Cybercast News Service.

In conducting the poll for the PSRF, Zogby International interviewed 803 employed persons selected to accurately represent the demographics of the general American population, Denholm said.

When asked, "In general, do you approve of labor unions?" only 55 percent replied affirmatively. When asked, "Would you personally like to be a member of a labor union?" 74 percent said "No."

In response to a question about whether they would vote for union representation, a combined total of 58 percent said "probably not" or "definitely not," compared to a total of 36 percent who said "definitely for" or "probably for."

"It is interesting that - while only a minority would vote for union representation - even a smaller minority would personally like to be a member of a labor union," Denholm added. "That may be akin to liking the taste of sausage but not wanting to see it being made."

While participating in the survey, employees also expressed the belief that unions have too much political clout. Fifty-four percent said that union political influence was "too much," compared to 38 percent who said it was "not enough."

The poll also found continuing support among workers for the principle of the "right to work," which gives employees the option of deciding for themselves whether or not to join or financially support a union.

Sixty-four percent of those surveyed agreed with the statement that "Nobody should be required to join or support a union as a condition of employment," compared to 33 percent who said that workers who benefit from union representation "should be required to pay their fair share of the cost of union representation."

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 12.5 percent of American workers belong to labor unions.

When contacted by Cybercast News Service for response to the poll, a representative of the AFL-CIO replied that the organization had "no comment on it at this time."

79 posted on 09/04/2006 9:36:07 AM PDT by ConservativeStLouisGuy (11th FReeper Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Unnecessarily Excerpt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: anthropos

suburban Philly - the teachers here are (sorry!) grossly overpaid.

My grandmother was a 2nd grade school teacher so it's not that I dislike teachers - I just dislike the union propaganda and the "teachers are sacred" mentality quite a few teachers adopt, as tho they are somehow better than any other worker classification.


80 posted on 09/04/2006 1:33:00 PM PDT by cinives (On some planets what I do is considered normal.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-84 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson