CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL

Americans Views on the Workplace and Income Inequality

May 28-31, 2015
Q1-Q8 Released separately
Q9. Which comes closer to your view? In today's economy, everyone has a fair chance to get ahead in the long run or in today's
economy, it's mainly just a few people at the top who have a chance to get ahead?

Anyone can get ahead

Just a few people at the top
Dont know/No answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
35
43
33
33
61
53
65
63
4
4
2
4

Feb15b
%
36
60
4

Q10. Do you feel that the distribution of money and wealth in this country is fair, or do you feel that the money and wealth in this
country should be more evenly distributed among more people?

Fair
Should be more even
Dont know/No answer

27
66
7

48
44
8

9
89
3

26
64
10

Feb14c
31
63
5

Q11. When it comes to the availability of good jobs for American workers, some say that America's best years are behind us. Others
say the best times are yet to come. What do you think?

Best behind
Yet to come
Dont know/No answer

46
47
7

50
43
7

37
56
7

50
44
6

Apr10a
45
45
10

Q12 Released separately

Q13. Do you think the gap between the rich and the poor in the US is getting larger, getting smaller, or has it stayed the same?

Getting larger
Getting smaller
Stayed the same
Dont know/no answer

67
5
25
3

56
5
35
4

74
6
19
*

68
4
24
3

Jan15b
69
6
23
1

Q14. Do you think the gap between rich and poor in this country is a problem that needs to be addressed now, a problem but one
that does not need to be addressed now, or not a problem?

Addressed now
Not addressed now
Not a problem
Dont know/no answer

65
16
17
3

47
25
26
2

83
8
8
2

64
15
17
4

Q15. Should the government do more to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor in this country, or is this something the
government should not be doing?

Reduce gap
Should not
Dont know/no answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
57
34
81
54
39
64
15
41
4
1
5
5

Jan15b
%
55
39
6

Q16. Do you think labor unions have too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on American life
and politics today?

Too much
Too little
Right amount
Dont know/no answer

37
25
29
9

51
12
28
9

23
38
30
8

38
24
29
9

May11b
36
30
26
8

Q17. Do you think large corporations have too much influence, too little influence, or about the right amount of influence on
American life and politics today?
Too much
Too little
Right amount
Dont know/no answer

74
3
20
3

62
3
31
4

84
3
11
2

73
4
19
4

75
7
13
5

Q18. By law, a union must protect and bargain on behalf of all workers in a place of employment where the union exists, whether or
not they are members. Should all workers be required to pay union fees in exchange for these benefits, even if they choose not to
join the union, or should workers who dont want to join the union be able to opt out of paying fees, even though they receive the
benefits?
Required to pay union fees
Able to opt out
Dont know/no answer

40
54
6

33
62
5

53
43
4

35
56
9

Q19. As you may know, the FEDERAL minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour. Do you favor or oppose raising the minimum wage
to $10.10?

Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

71
26
2

50
48
3

86
13
1

74
23
3

Q20. Do you favor or oppose raising taxes on people earning more than $1 million per year?
Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

68
30
2

53
46
1

87
11
2

63
34
3

Oct14f
71
26
3

Q21. Do you favor or oppose raising taxes on financial transactions such as the sale of stocks or bonds?

Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
%
%
%
%
33
20
43
34
59
75
48
58
8
5
9
8

Q22. Do you favor or oppose limiting the amount of money earned by top executives at large corporations?
Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

50
45
5

37
61
3

60
37
3

51
42
7

Q23. Do you favor or oppose requiring employers to offer PAID leave to parents of new children and employees caring for sick family
members?
Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

80
17
2

71
26
4

88
10
2

81
18
1

Q24. Do you favor or oppose requiring employers to offer PAID sick leave to employees who are ill?
Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

85
14
1

77
22
2

94
6
*

83
15
1

Q25. Do you favor or oppose requiring fast food chains and other hourly employers to pay workers at least $15 per hour?

Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

38
60
3

15
83
2

56
40
4

38
59
3

Q26. Do you favor or oppose requiring chain stores and fast food outlets to give workers at least two weeks' notice of any changes in
their work schedules or provide them with extra pay?
Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

72
25
3

62
36
2

80
17
2

72
24
4

Q27. Which of the following statements comes closer to your opinion? Trade restrictions are necessary to protect domestic
industries OR Free trade must be allowed, even if domestic industries are hurt by foreign competition.

Restriction necessary
Free trade must be allowed
Dont know/no answer

63
30
6

58
34
7

66
26
8

64
32
5

Apr09a
%
60
28
12

Q28. Do you favor or oppose NAFTA--the North American Free Trade Agreement between Mexico, Canada, and the U.S., or don't
you know enough about NAFTA to say?

Favor
Oppose
Don't know enough to say
Dont know/no answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total
Rep
Dem
%
%
%
22
20
24
14
13
13
63
66
62
1
2
1

Ind
%
21
16
62
1

Oct96d
%
30
17
50
3

Q29. Do you favor or oppose giving the president authority to negotiate international trade deals that Congress can only approve or
disapprove, but not change?
Favor
Oppose
Dont know/no answer

42
55
4

27
72
1

63
32
5

36
59
5

Q30. As you may know, the Obama administration is negotiating a trade agreement with 11 countries bordering on the Pacific called
the Trans-Pacific Partnership. How much have you heard or read about the Trans-Pacific Partnership a lot, some, not much or
nothing at all?

A lot
Some
Not much
Nothing at all
Dont know/no answer

6
16
30
48
*

4
17
29
48
*

6
15
34
44
1

6
16
28
49
-

Q31. From what you have heard or read, do you think the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement would increase the number of
jobs available in the United States, decrease the number of jobs available, or won't it make much difference?
Increase
Decrease
Won't make much difference
Dont know/no answer

16
22
29
33

16
21
27
37

20
22
30
29

14
23
29
34

Q32-Q43 Released separately.

Q44. When you think about your own personal finances over the next few months, do you feel very confident, somewhat confident,
somewhat uneasy, or very uneasy?

Very confident
Somewhat confident
Somewhat uneasy
Very uneasy
Dont know/no answer

21
35
26
16
2

18
36
31
12
2

21
40
24
12
2

23
31
25
20
1

Sep14b
18
37
27
16
1

Q45. Are you currently employed either full-time or part-time or are you temporarily out of work, or are you not in the market for
work at all? (IF NOT IN MARKET FOR WORK, ASK: Are you currently retired, or not?)
TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total
Rep
Dem
%
%
%
57
60
54
9
6
8
16
12
15
18
21
22
*
*

Currently employed
Temporarily out of work
Not in the market for work
Retired
Dont know/no answer

Ind
%
57
11
19
13
-

Q46. How secure do you feel that you can continue in your job as long as you want -- very secure, somewhat secure, not very secure,
or not at all secure?
EMPLOYED RESPONDENTS
Total
Rep
Dem
Ind
53
57
55
48
35
37
38
33
9
5
6
12
3
1
1
6
*
*

Very secure
Somewhat secure
Not very secure
Not at all secure
Dont know/no answer

May12a
53
33
7
8
0

Q50. Do you or does someone in your household belong to a labor union? (IF YES, ASK: Is that person you or someone
else?)

Yes, self
Yes, someone else in household
Yes, self and other
No
Dont know/no answer

Total Respondents
Total Republicans
Total Democrats
Total independents

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total
Rep
Dem
%
%
%

Ind
%

6
8
1
85
1

3
6
1
90
*

Unweighted
1,022
273
332
417

6
7
1
85
1

8
12
2
76
1

Weighted

257
302
462

(25%)
(30%)
(46%)