Connecticut Union Members Support Choice

Overwhelming numbers believe workers should have voting rights 

79% of public employees believe they should have choices when it comes to union representation

This past October, CT Workers, in cooperation with the Yankee Institute of Public Policy, conducted a statewide poll of public union workers.* We asked them what they thought about the idea of having the ability to recertify their current union or the possibility of learning about a new or alternate union in the workplace.

First, a little bit about our respondents:

  • 100% are self-identified public union workers

  • 85% are full dues paying members

  • Nearly 4 out of 10 are school teachers

  • Nearly 70% have a favorable or very favorable view of their union

  • 36% are Democrats, 26% are Independents, 23% are Republicans and 14% did not identify a party ID

 Here are the findings:

  • 79% of public employees believe they should have choices when it comes to union representation.

  • 76% of public employees believe they have the right to vote on the union that represents them at the workplace.

  • 56% are not aware that some states permit a union recertification process.

  • 63% are somewhat to extremely interested in hearing about or from a new or different union.

  • 49% say they would keep their current union. 17% say they would choose a new union, 7% say they would forgo union representation, and 27% are unsure.

What does this mean? First, it means that workers believe strongly that they should have voting rights when it comes to union representation. Second, it means that they are not aware about this as an option in the workplace! But once they understand what recertification election is, they are very interested in exercising their right to choose. That’s where CT Workers come in! We hope our billboards will begin to raise awareness about why it is important to bring union democracy back to the unions here in Connecticut!

3 out of 4 union members believe workers should have voting rights when it comes to choosing their union.

*Fielded October 16 to 27, N= 302, margin of error +/- 5.66%, all respondents identified as public union employees in state of Connecticut.

CT Workers