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76% OF KENTUCKIANS SAY THE LEGISLATURE SHOULD PASS EMPLOYEE CHOICE 

Kentuckians for Jobs Now releases results of statewide poll.

Frankfort, KY  --   It’s a simple question that the vast majority of Kentuckians find easy to answer.  Should the Kentucky legislature give workers the freedom to choose for themselves whether or not to join and pay dues to a union?  Three out of four Kentuckians say yes. 

Seventy-six percent of Kentucky voters surveyed statewide between January 23^rd and 27^th say that they agree with the following statement:  This issue is all about freedom – the Kentucky Legislature should give workers the freedom to choose for themselves whether to join a union or not.”  The poll of 600 registered voters was conducted by Voter Consumer Research and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.0 percent.

“The vast majority of Kentuckians agree that the freedom to join, or not join, any organization is a fundamental right of every American,” said Bill Stone, co-chairman of Kentuckians for Jobs Now, a statewide association organized to support employee choice legislation in Kentucky.

“Against the wishes of 76 percent of Kentuckians, supporters of compulsory dues in the Kentucky General Assembly are taking the position that it is more important to compel people to belong and pay dues to a union than to allow employee choice,” Stone said.  “Three out of four Kentuckians think that is wrong.”

The recent poll mirrors the results of a similar poll commissioned by the Commonwealth Progress Council and conducted by Public Opinion Strategies, which found that 74 percent of Kentuckians support a law that gives workers the right to decide for themselves whether or not to join or financially support a union.  That poll also confirmed that most Kentuckians believe that bringing jobs and business to the state should be the No. 1 priority of legislative leaders. 

Joined at a Frankfort news conference today by Kentuckians for Jobs Now Steering Committee members and supporters from across the state, Stone called on the members of the General Assembly to pass employee choice legislation.

“Compulsory membership and dues are relics of a bygone era,” said Stone.  “Workers in today’s economy want the freedom to decide for themselves what organizations they want to join.” 

In addition to the fundamental issue of personal freedom, there is compelling evidence that states that allow employee choice are doing better economically.  Twenty-two states, including all of Kentucky’s competitors in the South, allow employee choice.

According to the United States Department of Commerce (Bureau of Labor Statistics), real personal income grew from 1993-2003 at a rate of 37 percent in states that allow employee choice compared to 26 percent in those that don’t.   

In fact, average disposable personal income when adjusted for the cost of living is higher in employee choice states**:

U.S. average                                        $ 32,199

Employee choice states                       $ 32,667

Non-employee choice states                $ 31,001

Kentucky                                              $ 30,123

Kentucky currently ranks 45^th in per capita income among all states. 

“If we are going to guarantee the right to workers in Kentucky to organize and join a union, we ought to guarantee them the right not to join if they don’t want to,” Stone said.  “It’s right. It works.  It’s all about freedom.”

**(Derived from data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, and other sources.)

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For information:

Bill Stone, 502-564-6145, co-chair, Kentuckians for Jobs Now

Fred Mudge, 859-361-0992, co-chair, Kentuckians for Jobs Now

Dave Adkisson, 502-848-8744, president, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce

Doug Alexander, 859-373-0333, executive director, Commonwealth Progress Council

KENTUCKIANS FOR JOBS NOW

P.O. Box 4599

Frankfort, KY  40601-4599

Doug Alexander

859-373-0333

mobile:  859-221-1032

fax:  859-313-5385

Commonwealth Progress Council

2628 Wilhite Court

Suite 100A

Lexington, KY  40503

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