The Nation - News from Sept. 4, 1989

Half of Americans say workers are better off with unions than without, but more people regard management favorably than view unions favorably, a poll has found. Many respondents in the Media General-Associated Press poll saw unions as weakening, and few objected to that trend. Still, by a 49% to 31% margin, they said workers are better off with a union than without one. In what could be seen as a positive sign for the future of unions, young respondents, ages 18 to 29, were the most likely to favor unions. Overall, nonunionized respondents were more unwilling than willing to join a union--47% to 37%, with the rest unsure. Moreover, while 44% thought of unions favorably, 64% had a positive view of management. And 7 in 10 favored so-called right-to-work laws, which ban mandatory union membership.