Last updated on: 4/22/2016 8:23:17 AM PST
Do Labor Unions Provide an Overall Benefit to Their Workers in the United States?
Pro (Yes)
Pro
"When unions are strong, America is strong… Labor unions helped build America's middle class, and organized labor remains critical to fulfilling America's basic bargain: If you work hard and do your part, you should be able to get ahead and stay ahead."
Source: 2016 Hillary for America, "Labor," hillaryclinton.com (accessed Apr. 14, 2016)
Pro
"Unions are critical for workers' rights and safety. They are the lifeblood of democracy at the workplace."
Source: Jill Stein, Twitter post, twitter.com, Mar. 24, 2016
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Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I support the notion of right-to-work [legislation that lets employees decide for themselves whether or not they want to join a union or financially support it] and worked hard to see that happen in New Mexico. It didn't while I was governor of New Mexico, but that didn't take away from my support. The only basic problem that I have with unions is the union gives me two workers. One is the worst worker that I've ever seen, the other is the best worker that I've ever had. I can't reward the best, I can't get rid of the worst. Right-to-work, I think, is a decision that states should make. I think based on right-to-work legislation in states across the country, those states that have passed right-to-work have shown much greater economic prosperity as a result of that legislation."
Source: Gary Johnson, "Gov. Gary Johnson Responds to Every Question Asked in CNN Debate He Was Excluded From," youtube.com, June 14, 2011
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I work in areas where we have unions, we don't have unions. Manhattan is a hundred percent - you're building a building, it's essentially a hundred percent union. So I've worked with unions over the years - I've done very well with unions... And I have tremendous support within unions, and I have tremendous support in areas where they don't have unions. Like in Florida, they don't have very many unions. The workers love me. I mean, my support is really with those workers, those people. That's it - the policemen, the firemen, the construction workers, the lathers, the sheetrock workers, the electricians, the plumbers. That's where my support is - every poll shows it. The men and women of the Teamsters are with Trump."
Source: David Sherfinski, "Donald Trump: I Have Tremendous Support within Unions," washingtontimes.com, Feb. 8, 2016
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FORMER CANDIDATES
(Candidates who have withdrawn or who no longer meet our criteria appear below in black and white and in alphabetical order.)
Pro (Yes)
Pro
"The benefits of joining a union are clear: higher wages, better benefits and a more secure retirement. If we are serious about reducing income and wealth inequality and rebuilding the middle class, we have got to substantially increase the number of union jobs in this country."
Source: Bernie Sanders, "New York's Public Transit Union Endorses Sanders," berniesanders.com, Apr. 13, 2016
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None Found
Withdrew on Feb. 20, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
None Found
Withdrew on Mar. 4, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
None Found
Withdrew on Feb. 10, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I think right-to-work [legislation], it’s a fundamental right, and I think we need to have government that sides with the working men and women of this country, rather than with special interests, rather than with unions and union bosses.
If someone chooses to join a union, that’s their choice, and they should be free to have that choice. But no worker should be forced to join a union against their will, forced to pay union dues out of their paycheck to be used to fund the political partisan agenda of the union bosses, they shouldn't be forced to do that against their will, and when Governor Scott Walker and millions of men and women across Wisconsin stood up and took on the union bosses, it was powerful, it inspired people across the country, it inspired me."
Source: Jay Sorgi, "Ted Cruz to Charlie Sykes: 'Momentum is with US,'" wtmj.com, Mar. 31, 2016
None Found
Withdrew on Feb. 10, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
None Found
Withdrew on Dec. 21, 2015; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
None Found
Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
Not Clearly Pro or Con
"I don't favor the right to strike of any public employee, ok? That's my personal philosophy. How practical that is to implement, uh you know, but my personal philosophy is I don't like public employees striking. I mean, they've got good jobs, high pay, good benefits, a great retirement, what are they striking for?"
Source: Tanya Somanader, "Kasich: I Don't Favor the Right to Strike of Any Public Employee," thinkprogress.org, Dec. 10, 2010
[Editor's Note: On Mar. 31, 2011 Governor Kasich signed a law (SB 5) that restricted collective bargaining for unionized state employees (voters later overturned the law). Kasich received some union endorsements during his re-election campaign in 2014. In May 2015 Kasich issued an executive order removing home health care contractors and in-home child care contractors from being eligible for collective bargaining with the state. Kasich said those workers were not state employees.]
None Found
Withdrew on Feb. 1, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
None Found
Withdrew on Feb. 3, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
None Found
Withdrew on Mar. 15, 2016; no additional research done as of that date to determine candidate's position on this question.
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