Sixty-one percent (61%) of Americans say it is fair to require a vote by secret ballot if workers want to form a union. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 18% say it is not fair to require a secret ballot.

At the same time, most Americans (57%) believe it is at least somewhat difficult for workers to form a union. Just 19% say it is not difficult to form a union.

Sixty-seven percent (67%) of Republicans believe it is fair to require a secret ballot along with 54% of Democrats and 62% of those not affiliated with either major party.

But, 70% of Democrats believe it is difficult for employees to create a union. Forty-three percent (43%) of Republicans share that view along with 54% of unaffiliated voters.

A proposal has been made to ease the process of starting a union. It would allow unions to be formed without a secret ballot if a majority of workers signed a card saying they want a union. Thirty-two percent (32%) of adults say this approach is fair while 52% disagree.

Seventy percent (70%) of Republicans and 51% of unaffiliateds say it is not fair to form a union without having a vote. Democrats, on the other hand, are closely divided: 43% say it’s enough if a majority of workers sign a card saying they want a union, but 39% disagree.

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Data released earlier showed that union members tend to believe that most workers want to join a labor union, but only nine percent (9%) of non-union workers say they’re interested.

A majority of union members also belong to the investor class, owning at least $5,000 worth of stocks, bonds, and mutual funds.

Another proposal says that if a company and its employees union cannot reach an agreement on a contract within 90 days, the government can mandate an agreement defining pay and benefits for those workers. Just 22% favor giving the government that power while 53% are opposed.

Sixty-eight percent (68%) of union members say requiring a vote union by secret ballot is fair. At the same time, But 59% of union members also think it is fair to form a union without a vote if most workers in a company sign a card seeking unionization.

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