* Nearly 80 percent of workers, both college and non-college alike, no longer believe the next generation will be better off. Nearly half think their children will be worse off.
* Nearly 80 percent of workers view multinational corporations as too powerful, and have driven down wages, eliminated health care and retirement security, and disregarded labor laws.
* Nearly 70 percent of workers feel that government doesn't take action to rein in greedy and unethical behavior by corporations and CEOs.
Lake Research Partners surveyed the random national sample of 800 non- supervisory working adults in March 2007 on behalf of Change to Win, a new coalition of seven unions representing 6 million workers in industries that form the basis of the new American economy. The unions will be sharing the poll, "The Working American Dream Agenda," with 2008 candidates from both parties.
The survey indicates workers see few opportunities for good jobs while they face the financial insecurity of rising health care costs, the elimination of pensions, the outsourcing of jobs, and wages falling behind living costs. But in addition to the concerns, it also showed that workers are remarkably united in their hopes, ideas, and solutions for the future on the critical issues of the workplace, a consensus that remains intact regardless of age, gender, geography, ethnicity, country of origin, and education.
"Work is the source of the American Dream, and a good job is its cornerstone," said Anna Burger, chair of Change to Win. "This survey shows that what happens at work - what kind of jobs our economy generates - will determine the future for the American Dream in the 21st century."
Change to Win commissioned the comprehensive poll to provide workers with an opportunity to articulate the type of actions they want to see from their government to ensure that workers, not just corporations and CEOs, can share in the benefits of today's global economy. Respondents said they are looking for a strong action agenda in which government plays a key role in economic solutions to help working families now struggling with rising costs, eroding benefits, and stagnant wages:
* Nearly 85 percent of workers, regardless of age, want government to protect and preserve Social Security, and ensure all workers have retirement benefits they can count on.
* Over 80 percent of workers want government to guarantee that every American has quality, affordable health care.
* Seventy-eight percent of workers want Congress to raise the federal minimum wage, and adjust future increases to the cost of living.
* Nearly 85 percent of workers, regardless of political party, want government to create a more progressive tax system that is fair to workers and makes the super rich pay their fair share.
Workers are also demanding a change in corporate behavior, and want government to hold Corporate America accountable so that workers can share in the profits they help generate for their companies:
* Nearly 80 percent want to hold multinational corporations accountable to pay their fair share for the problems they create in the world, like low wages and environmental pollution.
* Seventy-five percent want government to remove tax breaks for corporations who send jobs overseas
* Over 80 percent want government to ensure employers keep their promises to workers, including protecting health care and retirement benefits
Nearly nine out of 10 workers also see joining together in unions as a vehicle to help win a paycheck that supports a family, quality, affordable health care, and a secure retirement -- the same goals they cite as vital to reaching the American Dream.
The Working American Dream Agenda is the follow-up to a survey six months ago to determine if the Dream remained a powerful concept in a diverse and changing new economy. The response was overwhelming and cut across all lines: only 3 percent of workers no longer believe there is a Dream, and it is not driven by greed or desire for wealth. But few said they felt they could attain it, because despite predictions and promises of high-tech, high-paying jobs, the growing occupations are in retail sales, food service and preparation, construction, health care, trucking, and customer service.
"The workers of the new economy are not low-wage workers in low-wage jobs, they are underpaid workers in underpaid occupations," said Burger -"But even as workers see growing, powerful economic forces eroding its very foundation, workers still have hope that together, they can take action and restore the American Dream for the next generation."
