Capitol Fax: Union-sponsored Poll Shows Support for Labor Agenda

imagesRich Miller (Capital Fax Blog) has been staying on top of our new Governor’s crusade to stomp on the middle class.  You really should read his blog.  Here are a few valuable pieces – and these are just from page one as I put this posting together (plus one from the other day (“Cute signs…”) that I particularly liked):

Scrolling through a few other items further down in his history, I very much appreciated his quoting these poll results:

Union-sponsored poll shows support for labor agenda

* The governor has been touting some horribly biased polling results which purport to show that the public favors his “Turnaround Agenda.” The Illinois AFL-CIO has now countered with its own statewide poll. You could argue that its questions are somewhat biased, but they’re not nearly as biased as Rauner’s polling was. Check it out…

Governor Rauner says the State of Illinois has been spending too much money over the past decade and therefore must make drastic across the board cuts to the state budget, including education. Others say these drastic cuts could be avoided by rolling back tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy. Which is closer to your view: that we should make across the board cuts to the state budget, or that we should roll back tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy?

  • Should Make Across the Board Cuts to State Budget 37%
  • Should Roll Back Tax Breaks for Corporations and the Wealthy 56%
  • Not sure 6%

Governor Rauner has been a staunch opponent to labor unions that represent state workers, saying that they have too much power. Others say unions are necessary because they provide a voice for workers, improve public service, and fight for the middle class against politicians and corporate greed. Which is closer to your view: that unions have too much power, or that they are necessary to fight for the middle class?

  • Unions Have Too Much Power 42%
  • Unions are Necessary to Fight for the Middle Class 56%
  • Not Sure 3%

Governor Rauner says public sector unions should not be able to make campaign contributions to the elected officials who negotiate their contracts. Others say that as long as billionaires and corporate CEO’s have a right to make huge campaign contributions, workers should have a right to participate in the democratic process through their union. Which is closer to your view: public sector unions should not be able to make campaign contributions, or public employees have a right to participate in campaigns through their union?

  • Public Sector Unions Should Not Be Able To Make Campaign Contributions 41%
  • Public Employees Have a Right to Participate in the Democratic Process Through Their Union 55%
  • Not sure 4%

Illinois law does not require anyone to join a union, but allows labor and management to agree that union represented employees must pay at least a fee sometimes called ‘fair share’ to cover the costs associated with bargaining the contract that benefits all employees. Some people believe that all employees who receive benefits as a result of collective bargaining should be required to pay something toward the costs of negotiating those benefits and administering union contracts. Governor Rauner does not agree that everyone represented by a union should pay something toward negotiating those benefits and administering union contracts. Do you agree or disagree that everyone represented by a union should pay something for negotiating and administering union contracts?

  • Agree 55%
  • Disagree 33%
  • Not sure 12%

The Illinois prevailing wage is a rate based on local wage standards for workers on public works construction projects. Governor Rauner wants to allow the state to pay workers lower wages than the prevailing wage in local areas, since it would save the state money. Others say the state should not undercut local, middle class wage rates because it drags down everyone’s incomes and hurts local business. Which comes closer to your view: that the wage standard should be set locally with a prevailing wage, or that the state should pay below the local prevailing wage?

  • Wage Standard Should be Set Locally with Prevailing Wage 68%
  • State Should Pay Below Local PrevailingWage 23%
  • Not sure 9%

Workers’ compensation costs, including medical expenses and payments to injured workers, were substantially reduced in 2011 by the State Legislature; however there is no evidence that insurance companies reduced insurance premiums accordingly. Do you support or oppose tougher regulation of insurance companies so that this does not happen again?

  • Support 77%
  • Oppose 13%
  • Not sure 10%

More questions here.

The crosstabs show that the governor’s base is mostly sticking with him, but not on everything…

* Methodology…

Public Policy Polling surveyed 642 registered voters in Illinois between April 10th and 12th on behalf of the Illinois AFL-CIO. The survey’s margin of error is +/-3.9%.

– Posted by Rich Miller