(Dis)union

A new poll from the Clarus Research Group suggests a lack of support for government employees belonging to labor unions. Not surprising is that the issue is deeply partisan.

The survey was conducted Feb. 4-8, 2011 of a nationwide sample of 1,001 registered voters. Interviewing was conducted by live telephone calls. The margin of error is +/-3.1%.

The poll question asked: "Do you think government employees should be represented by labor unions that bargain for higher pay, benefits and pensions… or do you think government employees should not be represented by labor unions?"

POLL RESULTS
• According to Clarus, 64% of voters polled said government employees should not be represented by unions.

• 29% of voters said government employees should be represented by labor unions that bargain for higher pay, benefits and pensions.

• Only 10% of Republicans and 23% of independents think public employees should be represented by unions. On the other hand, 49% of Democrats do so.

• Voters in the Northeast were most supportive of public employee unionization (42%) and the South was least favorable (24%).

"As pressures to cut state and federal budgets intensify, government employee unions are likely to become a major issue in the 2012 election," Ron Faucheux, president of Clarus Research Group, said in a statement.