The Dick Morris Poll: American Voters Back Governors Against Public Employee Unions

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Mar 18, 2011, 03:18 ET

DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 18, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Dick Morris Poll of 1000 likely voters throughout the U.S., conducted by live telephone interviews from March 10-15, 2011, found support for the Republican Governors of Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio in their battles with their public employee unions by 47-39.

Voters harshly condemned Democratic State Legislators who are boycotting their legislatures to deny the Republicans a quorum so they cannot pass legislation on collective bargaining and municipal unions. By 61-25, they rejected the Democrats' argument that the boycotts were "necessary to stop legislation restricting unions from being passed" and said they "should return to the legislature and respect the decisions the voters have made in the last election."

Commenting on the poll results, Dick Morris said, "The liberal media has tried to sell the myth that the public is siding with the unions in these battles. This poll shows the opposite. They largely agree with the restrictions the governors are trying to impose."

Voter attitudes toward collective bargaining are complex. They wholeheartedly support the right to collective bargaining by public employees. By 39-59 voters reject elimination of collective bargaining for public employee unions and by 43-48 they oppose limiting the bargaining to wages and benefits. But, by 66-25, voters agree with limiting "collective bargaining so that the union contract does not stop the dismissal of incompetent teachers and allows teachers to be paid based on merit not on seniority."

For the full results, click here to read the report.

Dick Morris has more than 35 years of polling experience in the U.S. and abroad. He polled for President Clinton and has also has polled for 30 Senators and Governors and 14 foreign Presidents and Prime Ministers.

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SOURCE DickMorris.com