Poll: Government Workers Should Pay More For Benefits

By a margin of 63 percent to 31 percent, Americans think that government workers should pay more for their benefits and retirement programs, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, 42 percent say pay for government workers is too much, 35 percent say it's "about right," while 15 percent say it's too low, the poll found.

Although the survey by the Hamden-based polling institute was conducted on Americans' views nationwide, and its results were not specific to Connecticut, its questions about public employees' compensation are the same ones now at the forefront in this state.

That's because the administration of Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy faces negotiations with public employee unions during a state budget crisis, and Malloy said he is looking for concessions in not only pay, but also with regard to a pension-and-benefits agreement that extends to the year 2017.

Malloy has said that he needs $2 billion in savings and concessions over the next two years in public employee-related expenses, such as a pay freeze and higher employee contributions for health benefits, or he may need to lay off many of the 50,000 or so state workers.

The poll of 1,887 registered voters was conducted from Feb. 21 to 28 and has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.3 percentage points. Interviewers called land lines and cell phones, the university said.

The new survey also said American voters are split on the question of whether collective bargaining for public employees should be limited -- with 45 percent saying they support limits on the employees' negotiating rights and 42 percent saying they oppose such limits.

By a 47-41 percent margin, voters said that efforts by governors across the country to limit collective bargaining rights for government employees are motivated by a desire to reduce government costs rather than weaken unions, the survey found.

The poll also sampled Americans' opinions on the question of whether the federal government should shut down because of disagreement in Washington, D.C., over federal spending. It found that Americans are divided almost equally on that question -- with 46 percent saying it would be a good thing and 44 percent saying it would be bad.

If the federal government is forced to shut down over the spending impasse, voters say by a strong 78-18 percentage margin that President Barack Obama and members of Congress shouldn't be paid for that period.

Voters would blame Republicans more than Obama, 47-38 percent, for a government shut-down, the poll found.

The poll also showed that within the overall results, there were pronounced differences among the attitudes of Democrats, Republicans and independent voters.

"There is a partisan tinge to American voter attitudes toward government workers: By wide margins, Republicans say these workers are overpaid; want them to pay more for their benefits and want to limit collective bargaining," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the poll.

"Democrats say 2-1 that government workers are paid about right or too little, rather than too much and split over whether they should pay more for benefits, but they solidly defend collective bargaining," Brown said. "Independent voters, as usual, are in the middle."

On the possibility of a federal government shutdown, Democrats say 62-28 percent that it would be a bad thing, while Republicans reverse that by saying 63-28 percent that it would be good, the poll found. Independent voters say by a 47-42 percentage that it would be good rather than bad. By a 50-40 percentage, men say it would be a good thing while women say by a 48-41 percentage that it would be bad. White voters say it would be good by a 48-42 percentage, while black voters say it would be bad by 59 percent to 30 percent.

Here are other results from the poll:

--On the pay of government workers, 59 percent of Republicans say it's too much, while 6 percent say too little and 28 percent say it's "about right." Among independent overs, 42 percent say pay is too much, 13 percent say too little and 37 percent say "about right." Democrats: 31 percent say pay is too much, 24 percent say too little and 38 percent say "about right." Men say workers are overpaid vs. underpaid 44-11 percent, with 39 percent saying "about right." Women say 41-19 percent that they are overpaid, with 31 percent saying "about right." In union households, 37 percent say government workers' pay is too much, 22 percent say too little and 34 percent say "about right."

--Democrats are split 47- 45 percent on whether public employees should pay more for retirement and health benefits. Republicans say by a 72-22 percentage that the employees should pay more and independent voters agree by a 70-26 percentage. Men support this idea 68-27 percent, and women 58-35 percent. White voters support higher payments 67-29 percent, while black voters oppose higher payments 49-44 percent.

--On the question of limiting collecting bargaining rights of public employees to reduce state deficits, Republicans support it 59-25 percent and independent voters split 45-43 percent. Democrats oppose such limits 56-33 percent and voters in union households oppose it 62-29 percent. Men split 47-45 percent on that question while women support limits on bargaining 43-39 percent. White voters split 44-43 percent on that question, while black voters support such limits 49-37 percent.

Here is a link to the Quinnipiac University poll's news release on the survey. It includes the survey questions and detailed results.