Poll: Voters Skeptical of Expanded Labor Influence and Political Involvement

Supporters of card check union organizing bill fare poorly on election night

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The Workforce Freedom Initiative today released exit polling data from Tuesday’s midterm elections showing that voters believe that expanding organized labor’s influence would negatively impact the economy. The exit poll, conducted Tuesday by Public Opinion Strategies, had a sample size of 1,000 voters, and a 3.1 percent margin of error.

In the poll, 51 percent of voters said that if unions become more influential in business and economic decisions it would harm the economy. Just 29 percent felt it would benefit the economy.

“Whether on bills like card check or regulatory mandates from the National Labor Relations Board, voters will hold new members accountable for supporting any action that hampers economic recovery,” said Glenn Spencer, executive director of the Workforce Freedom Initiative. “Voters’ message is clear: you will get no free pass on job-killing labor mandates.”

Meanwhile, only eight percent of voters said that union endorsement of a candidate would make them more likely to vote for that candidate. The poll also revealed that 71 percent of voters believe that unions have tilted the system too far in their favor, thereby negatively impacting the economy.

Additionally, 83 percent of voters said that unions should put a higher priority on meeting the day-to-day needs of their members. Sixty-three percent said that the views of national labor leaders are not representative of average union members.

Furthermore, co-sponsors of the card check union organizing bill paid a heavy price for that support on Tuesday. In the competitive House races, 42 candidates who had voted for, cosponsored or endorsed card check were defeated, including at least 32 who co-sponsored the bill in the 111th Congress. In the Senate, eight candidates supportive of card check lost while Gov. Joe Manchin, who came out against the bill, won.

A summary of the key findings are available at: www.uschamber.com/sites/default/files/press/101103postelectunion.pdf

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing more than 3 million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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