New Survey Shows Most Americans Lack Secure Jobs

A new American Compass/YouGov survey finds that only 40% of American workers hold what can be considered “secure” jobs—positions that pay at least $40,000 per year, include health insurance and paid time off, and offer predictable earnings and schedules. The results indicate that the majority of U.S. jobs still fail to provide workers with basic economic security and stability.

Key findings from the survey of 1,000 employed Americans include:

• Just 30% of workers without a bachelor’s degree have secure jobs, compared to 55% with a degree.
• Independent contracting and gig work account for only a small share of the labor market, with only 3% identified as independent contractors and 3% as gig workers each.
• A majority of workers (56%) view unions favorably, including 81% of Democrats and 42% of Republicans. Republican net favorability increased over 20 percentage points compared to a similar survey in 2021, swinging into positive territory.
• Among workers who would be eligible to join a union, 45% say they would vote to form one. Political involvement ranks high on the list of reasons to vote against a union, and motivates very few workers to vote for one.

Click here to read the full survey report.