DOES THE AMERICAN WORKER WANT TO BE

UNIONIZED?

Sean M. WalshDePaul University, Undergraduate

Advanced ProjectProfessor Gabriele Strohschen

AbstractWith a decline in union membership in the

United States, I wanted to know if the American worker wanted to be a union member, or did

business owners not want participate in collective bargaining. During the winter of 2016, I conducted a study using surveys to

understand the want and needs of the American workforce from the perspective of workers and business owners. The results

would show the majority of both employee and employer prefer not to engage in collective bargaining or be a member of a labor union.

The Question Does the American worker want to be in a labor union?

There are two growing trends in the current American Job market:

• Increase in Nonstandard jobs like remote workers and consultants

• Demand for a higher minimum wage.

Standard Job

Nonstandard Job

What does the American worker

prefer?

Experimental Design

Why do a survey?

The statistical accuracy of a survey is used and accepted for:• National Polls in campaigns• Marketing strategies• Scientific research.

The Survey

I outsourced my survey collection to SurveyMonkey.com because of their ability to guarantee the collection of data from a minimum of 500 people.

For a minimum of 500 survey completions, SurveyMonkey

charges $500.00 USD

$$$$$$

C F O

$$$$$$

Anticipated Results• I wanted to achieve a high confidence rating (90th percentile) in my survey

with a margin of error +/- 5% (Custom Insight Surveys).

• According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2014 the United States had 318.9 million people.

US Population: 318,900,000

Error: +/- 5%

Survey Confidence Goal: 90th percentile

Control Numbers Survey Returns Needed

252 for 90% Confidence

355 for 95% Confidence

614 for 99% Confidence

I was able to receive 612 survey returns for a survey confidence of 99% +/- 5.2%

The Survey

The Survey

The Survey

The Survey

The Survey

The Survey

The Survey

The Survey

Who took the Survey?612 People

Survey was completed by a variety of age groups:

Series10%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

22%

26% 27%25%

18-2930-4445-5960+

Who took the Survey?Survey was completed by both genders:

Series10%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

52% 48%

FemaleMale

Who took the Survey?Survey was completed by a variety of annual household incomes:

Series10%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%$0-$9,999

$10,000-$24,999

$25,000-$49,999

$50,000-$74,999

$75,000-$99,999

$100,000-$124,999

$125,000-$149,999

$150,000-$174,999

$175,000-$199,999

$200,000 and over

Prefered not to answer

Who took the Survey?Survey was completed by people from all over the United States

Category 10.00%

2.00%

4.00%

6.00%

8.00%

10.00%

12.00%

14.00%

16.00%

18.00%

20.00%New England

Mid-Atlantic

East North Central

West North Central

South Atlantic

East South Central

West South Central

Mountain

Pacific

The ResultsQ1.) How would you prefer to negotiate salary and benefits?

Employees Business Owners

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%60%

52%

23%19%17%

29%IndividuallyCollective BargainingUnsure

The ResultsQ2.) What working Environment would you prefer?

Employee Business Owner0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

36%

18%21%

46% 44%

OnsiteRemoteBoth

The ResultsQ3.) Are you currently a union member?

Series10%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

11% 12%

77%

YesNo, but I would like to be.No

The ResultsFrom the 12% who said they would like to join a union were asked…

Q4.) Have you attempted to join a union?

Series10%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

100%

2%

98% YesNo

The ResultsThe current union members equaling 11% were asked…Q9.) Are you currently satisfied with your union?

Series10%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%53%

34%

13%

SatisfiedNeutralDissatisfied

Conclusions…• A majority of American Employees prefer to negotiate salary and

benefits individually.

• A majority of American Employers prefer to negotiate salary and benefits individually.

• A majority of American Employees prefer an equal balance of remote work and onsite work.

• A majority of American Employers prefer an equal balance of remote work and onsite work.

• A majority of Americans are NOT in a labor union.

• A majority of Americans have NOT attempted to join a labor union.

• A majority of Americans who are union members are satisfied with their collective bargaining.

Conclusions…Union membership as of September 2015 only makes up one-tenth of the

American working population (Western).

Expect that number to continue to fall!

Series10%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%

11% 12%

77%

YesNo, but I would like to be.No

Conclusions…

Union membership has fallen and will continue to fall because Union

leadership has gotten lazy and fails to aggressively recruit. (Lichtenstein).

According to Nelson Lichtenstein’s book, State of the Union…

Union leadership has lobbied too much for legislation, and hasn’t developed

good rapport with American businesses (Lichtenstein).

Unexpected Results…

…More Americans are working remotely.

Employee Business Owner0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

36%

18%21%

46% 44%

Onsite

Remote

Both

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So, Dr. G and classmates…

Do you think I should pass?

Questions?