Even though many Americans think public employees have advantages those in the private sector do not, most still support the right of those public employees to belong to unions. According to the latest Economist/YouGov Poll, public employees are seen as getting a better deal than workers in the private sector.
Nearly half the public sees public employees as having more job security, and nearly a third or more say they get better pension benefits, are paid more, and put less effort into their work than those in the private sector. Many of those who live in households with a public employee - or are a public employee themselves - see some advantages, especially when it comes to job security. But they are much less likely to think public sector employees earn more.
Do you think that public sector employees get paid more or less than private sector employees with similar qualifications?
| Public employee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
More | 30% | 16% | 32% |
About the same | 20% | 29% | 18% |
Less | 25% | 52% | 20% |
Not sure | 26% | 3% | 30% |
On average, do you think that public sector employees devote more or less effort to their jobs than private sector employees?
| Public employee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
More | 10% | 21% | 8% |
About the same | 31% | 48% | 29% |
Less | 34% | 25% | 35% |
Not sure | 25% | 6% | 28% |
Are the pension benefits of public sector employees too high or too low?
| Public employee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Too high | 35% | 25% | 37% |
About right | 23% | 37% | 20% |
Too low | 10% | 21% | 8% |
Not sure | 32% | 17% | 35% |
Do public sector employees have better or worse job security than private sector employees?
| Public employee | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Better | 46% | 52% | 45% |
About the same | 20% | 28% | 19% |
Worse | 8% | 13% | 7% |
Not sure | 25% | 7% | 29% |
There are large partisan differences on these questions, too.
Overall, though, half or more of Americans think most public employees should be allowed to join unions. Clerical workers get less support on this than other workers, but more than half the country approve of firefighters, teachers, nurses, sanitation workers and police joining unions.
Should the following type of public sector employees be allowed to join unions?
| Yes | No | Not sure | |
|---|---|---|---|
Teachers | 56% | 28% | 16% |
Police | 56% | 27% | 17% |
Firefighters | 57% | 25% | 18% |
Clerical workers | 49% | 28% | 22% |
Sanitation workers | 58% | 25% | 17% |
Nurses | 56% | 27% | 17% |
| |||
However, just over a third of Republicans agree.
This poll does not show a lot of love for unions in general. Americans narrowly approve of labor unions. Even in union households, there are some negative feelings. Nearly a quarter of those who live in union households disapprove of labor unions.
Image source: flickr (Emily Mills)
