National Survey Finds 70 Percent of Union Members Support Regular Votes to Recertify Unions

Survey Coincides with Fifth Annual National Employee Freedom Week (Aug 20-26) to Promote Workplace Rights

News Release from Nevada Policy Research Institute, August 21, 2017 

LAS VEGAS — Today, the Nevada Policy Research Institute is highlighting the results of a new study by Dr. Lloyd Corder of CorCom Inc, comparing union employee workplace experiences and satisfaction in Right-to-Work and non-Right-to-Work (Union) states. Findings include:

• More than 70 percent of union employees support increased accountability through regular votes to recertify their union.

• Nearly 80 percent of union members agreed that employees who opt out of union membership should be able to represent themselves in negotiations with employers (a policy known as “Workers Choice”).

Additionally, the study found that union employees in Right-to-Work states have similar satisfaction levels with wages and workplace conditions compared to those in Union states, casting doubt on union leaders’ criticisms of Right-to-Work laws. These responses include:

• 77 percent of union members in Right-to-Work states were satisfied with the working conditions set by their contract, compared to 71 percent of those in Union states. 

• Nearly 70 percent of union members in Right-to-Work states were satisfied with the wages negotiated in their contract—a nearly-identical percentage to those in union states. Similarly, 59 percent of union members in Right-to-Work states said their union was helpful in improving workplace safety--compared to 57 percent in union states.

“Union bosses just lost one of their favorite talking points: that union workers are unhappy under Right-to-Work laws,” said Michael Schaus, communications director of the Nevada Policy Research Institute. “And this study makes clear that union employees are hungry for even more freedom and accountability at work.”

Union employees (1,687) were recruited through Amazon’s Mechanical Turk and surveyed between April 24th and May 2nd, 2017. The study results have a margin of error of 4 percent (Right-to-Work states) and 3 percent (Union states).

For more information, visit EmployeeFreedomWeek.com. To view the full study, click here.

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