2016 Survey Results
For National Employee Freedom Week, 2016, union members were asked two questions about employee freedom. In addition to asking if union members would like to opt-out of their union, NEFW also looked at the support for “Workers Choice” reforms, which would allow employees who opt out to negotiate directly with their employer.
Question 1: If it were possible to opt out of membership in a labor union without losing your job or any other penalty, would you do it?
| Yes | No | |
| Nationally | 28.7 | 71.3 |
Question 2: If employees opt out of union membership and stop paying dues or fees to the union, should they instead represent themselves in negotiations with their employer?
| Yes | No | |
| Nationally | 66.9 | 33.1 |
| Arizona | 58.0 | 42.0 |
| Arkansas* | 60.6 | 39.4 |
| California | 66.2 | 33.8 |
| Colorado | 57.0 | 43.0 |
| Florida | 62.3 | 37.7 |
| Georgia | 56.4 | 43.6 |
| Hawaii | 68.4 | 31.6 |
| Idaho | 59.8 | 40.2 |
| Illinois | 64.0 | 36.0 |
| Iowa | 62.5 | 37.5 |
| Kansas | 54.9 | 45.1 |
| Louisiana* | 61.0 | 39.0 |
| Michigan | 70.1 | 29.9 |
| Mississippi | 59.1 | 40.9 |
| Nebraska | 55.3 | 44.7 |
| Nevada | 60.4 | 39.6 |
| New Jersey | 65.3 | 34.7 |
| New Mexico | 54.7 | 45.3 |
| North Carolina | 57.2 | 42.8 |
| Ohio | 67.3 | 32.7 |
| Oklahoma | 63.0 | 37.0 |
| Oregon | 66.9 | 33.1 |
| Pennsylvania | 65.4 | 34.6 |
| Rhode Island | 67.8 | 32.2 |
| South Carolina* | 55.9 | 44.1 |
| Texas | 58.4 | 41.6 |
| Utah | 64.0 | 36.0 |
| Vermont | 59.8 | 40.2 |
| Washington | 62.2 | 37.8 |
| West Virginia | 77.2 | 22.8 |
* In these states, the question was asked of union households, rather than union members.