Poll: Congress Returns With High Approval Rating

The economy and job security

Although more than two-thirds of all Americans think that economic conditions in the country today are good, 65 percent say they have not gotten their fair share of the financial benefits created over the last few years by the improved national economy.

As Labor Day approaches, many American workers are worried about their future. Forty-one percent worry about layoffs or reduced wages or benefits. Only one in five are worried about losing their jobs, but a third are worried that their employers might reduce their benefits.

Economic Conditions Today
Good Poor	69% 30%
Have You Gotten Fair Share From Improved Economy?
Yes No	29% 65%
Margin of error: +/-5% pts
Worried About Layoffs Or Reduce Wages and Benefits?
Yes No	41% 59%
Margin of error: +/-4% pts
Worried About...
Reduced benefits Layoff Reduced wages Reduced hours	34% 20% 17% 15%
Note: This adds up to more than 41 percent because many workers were worried about more than one of these things happening to them.
Margin of error: +/-4% pts

Labor disputes

In the wake of the UPS strike, how do Americans feel about unions this Labor Day? Six in 10 say that unions mostly help American workers. But only 48 percent say that unions are good for the American economy, while 45 percent say that unions mostly hurt the economy.

But U.S. businesses fare much worse. Two-thirds of all Americans believe that most businesses in the U.S. are only concerned with profits and are not concerned at all with the economic interests of their workers.

Effect of Unions on...
U.S. workers U.S. economy	Help 60% 48%	Hurt 34% 45%
Are U.S. Businesses Only Concerned About Profits?
Yes No	65% 32%
Margin of error: +/-5% pts

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