Voter / Consumer Research

Card Check Compromise III

Pennsylvania
VCR09067
th th
July 26 -29 , 2009
N=602
Margin of Error ± 4.0%

Hello, I am _________ with Voter / Consumer Research. We're a national survey research
company doing a public opinion survey in your area. Could I please speak with the youngest
(male / female) available now? This person must be registered to vote at this address.

Q01. As of right now do you believe things in Pennsylvania are going in the right direction or have
they gotten off on the wrong track?
1 Right direction 21
2 Wrong track 59
3 Mixed / somewhere in between / depends (DNR) 8
4 Don't know (DNR) 11
5 Refused (DNR) 1
Q02. Of the following list of issues which are the most important to you? (RANDOMIZE,
RECORD UP TO THREE RESPONSES)
1 The war in Iraq and Afghanistan 30
2 Jobs and the economy 61
3 Education 25
4 Health care 44
5 The federal budget deficit 29
6 The environment 9
7 Illegal immigration 15
8 Other (DNR) 2
9 None (DNR) *
10 All (DNR) 5
11 Don't know (DNR) *
12 Refused (DNR) -
Here are the names of some people and organizations in the news. Please tell me for each of
these whether you have a favorable or unfavorable impression. If you're not aware of the
name, just let me know. (PROMPT:) And do you feel strongly about that or just somewhat?
(RANDOMIZE)
Unfavorable

Unfavorable

Unfavorable
/ somewhat
Favorable /

Favorable /

impression
Aware / no

Not aware
somewhat
Favorable

/ strongly

Refused
strongly

(DNR)

Q03. Labor Unions 46 40 22 24 16 25 8 5 *

Q04. Business in general 50 35 18 32 18 17 8 5 2

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Q05. Have you seen or heard anything in the news about a proposal in Congress to pass so-
called card check legislation, also known as the Employee Free Choice Act, or had you not
heard about this legislation?
1 Have seen / heard about card check 38
2 Have not 60
3 Don't know (DNR) 1
4 Refused (DNR) *
Q06. (IF SEEN / HEARD:) And just from what you’ve heard about it so far do you favor or do you
oppose this legislation? (PROMPT) And do you strongly or just somewhat (favor / oppose)?
Favor 30
Oppose 54
1 Strongly favor 16
2 Somewhat favor 14
3 Somewhat oppose 10
4 Strongly oppose 43
5 Don't know (DNR) 16
6 Refused (DNR) 1
Q07. The legislation I just mentioned has to do with the procedure by which employees in a
workplace are organized and come to be represented by a labor union. Under current law
unions contact employees to encourage them to unionize their place of work. An election is
then held, supervised by the National Labor Relations Board, in which employees vote in a
private ballot election whether to be represented by the union. Just from this description, do
you approve or disapprove of this procedure? (PROMPT) And do you strongly or just
somewhat (approve / disapprove)?
Approve 65
Disapprove 29
1 Strongly approve 39
2 Somewhat approve 27
3 Somewhat disapprove 9
4 Strongly disapprove 19
5 Don't know (DNR) 6
6 Refused (DNR) 1
Q08. Unions are advocating a number of proposals to make it easier for them to organize a
workplace and expand their membership. Just in general, do you support or do you oppose
making it easier for unions to organize workplaces and expand union membership?
(PROMPT) And do you strongly or just somewhat (support / oppose)?
Support 53
Oppose 43
1 Strongly support 30
2 Somewhat support 23
3 Somewhat oppose 13
4 Strongly oppose 30
5 Don't know (DNR) 3
6 Refused (DNR) *

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 Here are a number of different proposals dealing with the process by which unions can
organize a workplace. Please tell me for each of the following whether you favor or oppose it.
(PROMPT:) And do you strongly or just somewhat (favor / oppose)? (NO RANDOMIZATION)

Don't know
Somewhat

Somewhat

Refused
Strongly

Strongly
Oppose

oppose

oppose

(DNR)

(DNR)
Favor

favor

favor
Q09. Allow unions to bypass
private ballot elections and
organize a workplace by 35 62 17 19 20 43 2 *
having 50% of workers sign
a card saying they want a
union.
Q10. (SPLIT SAMPLED:)
Keeping the system of Total 54 40 25 29 16 24 5 2
private ballot elections, but
requiring that the election be
5 days 50 44 23 27 19 24 5 1
held almost immediately like
within (VERSION A: 5 days /
VERSION B:: 21days) after 21
58 36 27 32 12 23 5 2
a union requests one days
Q11. Applying the same penalties
to both employers and union
organizers when they break 83 14 58 25 5 9 3 1
the rules by which
workplaces are unionized
Q12. Requiring that unions be
allowed into the workplace
to conduct organizing
campaigns; organizers 36 62 16 20 17 46 2 *
could approach employees
in lunchrooms or hallways at
work.
Q13. Prohibit union organizers
from visiting workers in their
homes, unless workers 63 35 42 22 12 23 2 *
specifically authorize them
to do so
Q14. Give unions expanded
access to employees’ email
addresses so they can send 30 68 12 19 14 54 1 1
employees email about
unionizing their workplace

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 Another issue deals with what happens when a union and an employer negotiate but can’t
come to an agreement over wages, benefits and work rules. Here are some proposals that
deal with this issue. Please tell me for each of the following whether you favor or oppose that
proposal. (PROMPT:) And do you strongly or just somewhat (favor / oppose)? (NO
RANDOMIZATION)

Don't know
Somewhat

Somewhat

Refused
Strongly

Strongly
Oppose

oppose

oppose

(DNR)

(DNR)
Favor

favor

favor
Q15. If an employer and a union can’t agree
on a contract a government arbitrator
would be put in charge and make all 49 48 21 28 15 33 3 *
decisions about wages, benefits and
work -rules, and these decisions would
be binding on both parties.
Q16. If a union and an employer can’t reach
an agreement, a government mediator
would be provided to work with both
parties and help them reach a deal. 82 16 52 31 5 10 2 *
Unlike an arbitrator, a mediator would
help keep talks going, but could not
make binding decisions on a contract
Q17. Allow government arbitrators to force
workers and employers to join union-
run pension plans, regardless of 12 85 5 7 18 67 2 1
whether that pension plan has enough
funds to pay benefits.
For each of the following statements please tell me whether you agree or disagree.
(PROMPT:) And do you strongly or just somewhat (agree / disagree)? (RANDOMIZE)

Don't know
Somewhat

Somewhat
Disagree

disagree

disagree

Refused
Strongly

Strongly

(DNR)

(DNR)
Agree

agree

agree

Q18. (VERSION A:) Government should

largely stay out of negotiations over a
81 17 50 31 9 9 2 *
union contract and let the parties work
out a deal on their own.
Q19. (VERSION B:) Government should
largely stay out of contract negotiations
over a union contract, even if it means 57 41 34 23 26 15 3 -
that the two sides might never get a
deal.
Q20. Working Americans have fallen too far
behind the rich, and the best way to 36 62 19 17 18 43 2 1
start catching up is if more people join
a union

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Q21. Current laws about forming a union in
the workplace are stacked against
43 48 21 21 23 26 9 *
unions, making it too difficult to
unionize a workplace
Q22. We should allow government
arbitrators to impose union contracts
because negotiations don’t always 36 62 13 23 22 40 2 1
result in a deal and can drag out for too
long.

Q23. Legislation that deals with the issues we’ve discussed is currently being drafted in
Congress. Of the following two which would be the best approach? (ROTATE)
To vote on this legislation as quickly as possible by skipping legislative committee work and
public hearings
/ or /
To use the regular legislative process where draft bills are scrutinized in public hearings,
and reviewed by expert witnesses and legislative committees
1 As quickly as possible / skip 17
2 Regular legislative process 77
3 Neither / other (DNR) 2
4 Don't know (DNR) 5
5 Refused (DNR) *
Now just a few last questions for statistical purposes...

Q24. Are you a member of a union or a teachers association, or not? (PROBE IF NECESSARY:)
Would that be a labor union or a teachers association?
1 Yes / labor 12
2 Yes / teacher 5
3 Yes / both 1
4 No 82
5 Don't know (DNR) *
6 Refused (DNR) *
Q25. (ALL:) Is anyone else in your household a member of a union or a teachers association, or
not? (PROBE IF NECESSARY:) Would that be a labor union or a teachers association?
1 Yes / labor 10
2 Yes / teacher 4
3 Yes / both 2
4 No 84
5 Don't know (DNR) *
6 Refused (DNR) *
Q26. (IF RESPONDENT HIM / HERSELF IS NOT A UNION MEMBER:) And would you like to
belong to a labor union at the place where you currently work, or not?
1 Yes 14
2 No 75
3 Don't know (DNR) 7
4 Refused (DNR) 4

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Q27. Which of the following ranges includes your age? Just stop me when I get to the right one
(READ CHOICES 1 - 6)
1 18 – 24 4
2 25 – 34 8
3 35 – 44 16
4 45 – 54 21
5 55 – 64 28
6 65 & over 23
7 Don't know (DNR) *
8 Refused (DNR) *
Q28. Are you registered to vote as (ROTATE:) a Republican, a Democrat, an independent or
something else?
1 Republican 36
2 Democratic 50
3 Independent / Decline to state 9
4 Other / 3rd party 1
5 Don't know (DNR) 1
6 Refused (DNR) 3
Q29. On political issues, do you consider yourself (ROTATE) a liberal, a moderate or a
conservative?
1 Liberal 17
2 Moderate 41
3 Conservative 38
4 Don't know (DNR) 4
5 Refused (DNR) 1
Q30. What is the highest level of school you have completed?
1 Grade school or less *
2 Some high school 3
3 Graduated high school 31
4 Vocational / Technical school 6
5 Some College / 2 years or less 15
6 Some College / more than 2 years 7
7 Graduated College 21
8 Post-graduate Degree 16
9 Don't know (DNR) -
10 Refused (DNR) *
Q31. Are you, yourself of Hispanic or Latino descent -- for instance Mexican American or Cuban
or Puerto Rican, or not
1 Yes 3
2 No 96
3 Don't know (DNR) -
4 Refused (DNR) 2
Q32. (IF > 1:) Is your racial or ethnic background (RANDOMIZE) white, black, Asian, American
Indian or something else?
1 White 82
2 Black 9
3 Asian 1
4 American Indian 1
5 Other 3
6 Don't know (DNR) 1
7 Refused (DNR) 4

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Q33. Sex (BY OBSERVATION)
1 Male 46
2 Female 54

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