CBS/NYT just released their polling on unions. Wisconsin governor Scott Walker and his Republican buddies will not be happy with the results.
On collective bargaining rights:
Americans oppose weakening the bargaining rights of public employee unions by a margin of nearly two to one: 60 percent to 33 percent. While a slim majority of Republicans favored taking away some bargaining rights, they were outnumbered by large majorities of Democrats and independents who said they opposed weakening them.
By party ID:
The poll found that an overwhelming 71 percent of Democrats opposed weakening collective bargaining rights. But there was also strong opposition from independents: 62 percent of them said they opposed taking bargaining rights away from public employee unions.
Independents on our side in big numbers - I like the sound of that. And a 2:1 edge overall? That's landslide territory, not even close.
On cutting pay and benefits:
Those surveyed said they opposed, 56 percent to 37 percent, cutting the pay or benefits of public employees to reduce deficits, breaking down along similar party lines. A majority of respondents who have no union members living in their households opposed both cuts in pay or benefits and taking away the collective bargaining rights of public employees.
The above is the question that most often tilts away from us, at least in the context of the recession. Could it be that Republicans are SO overplaying their hands that there's a backlash brewing in favor of unions, even on pay issues?
Also, again - independents and non-union households...on our side.
On current pay levels:
61 percent of those polled — including just over half of Republicans — said they thought the salaries and benefits of most public employees were either “about right” or “too low” for the work they do.
Even Republicans don't think pay is too high for public sector employees? Something's going on here.
The numbers are slightly tighter for whether retirement benefits are too generous for public workers - but even there, a plurality tilts toward the union position.
Forty-nine percent said police officers and firefighters should be able to retire and begin receiving pension checks even if they are in their 40s or 50s; 44 percent said they should have to be older. There was a similar divide on whether teachers should be able to retire and draw pensions before they are 65.
Folks, we're going to win this. The numbers are just too lopsided. It's no wonder some Republicans are starting to back down, even those not known for moderation, like Florida's Rick Scott.
The tide is turning. Let's keep fighting.
Update:
And a few other interesting points:
Asked how they would choose to reduce their state’s deficits, those polled preferred tax increases over benefit cuts for state workers by nearly two to one.
Um...when tax increases poll better than your position, you've got a bit of a problem.
Listening, Gov?
Since this is a national poll, I'm not sure how much or how little it reflects the mood in Wisconsin. There will be a release on the Wisconsin electorate from PPP tomorrow. fladem covered the preliminary release of that survey today, showing Walker taking a hit. That's a tell that the numbers might not look so good for Walker on the central issue in this drama: collective bargaining restrictions and union busting.
And the best part of all? This quote in the NYT article from a Tennessee independent:
“I just feel [public employees] do a job that needs to be done, and in our country today if you work hard, then you should be able to have a home, be able to save for retirement and you should be able to send your kids to college,” he said.
There's great decency in this country. While certain players in our political life may try to set us against each other for their own political and financial ends, perhaps that task is harder than it seems.