WASHINGTON—A near-record seven out of every ten Americans support unions, the latest annual Gallup Poll on the popularity of the labor movement reports. And, in another indication of the backing unions have, the gap between labor support and labor opposition is the widest in at least half a century.
The poll, done annually around Labor Day, shows 70%-23% support/opposition for unions. The rest are undecided. The “favorable” percentage is down one percentage point from the most recent record high, set two years ago, and up four percentage points from last year.
But the 47-point gap between favorable support and unfavorable opposition this year exceeds the prior modern record, 45 points, two years ago.
Before that, the favorable-unfavorable ratios hovered around two-to-one, Gallup records show, except in 2009. That was the only year when less than half the poll respondents (48%) favored unions, just edging those who viewed organized labor unfavorably (45%).
Using the two-year-old numbers, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler declared in her State of the Unions speech on Aug. 27 that “71% of Americans support unions,” including nine of every ten people under 30. Gallup did not have the overall poll numbers broken down by age.
The support for unions is in sharp contrast to the lack of it for the corporate class, at least on divisive social issues, according to another Gallup survey three months ago. In so many words, overwhelming majorities of people want corporations to sit down and shut up about abortion, religion, and political endorsements.
The Gallup data joins other evidence of union popularity. That data includes record numbers of union election filings with the National Labor Relations Board and overwhelming support for the Auto Workers in their strike against the Detroit auto firms last year, and for actors and screenwriters in SAG-AFTRA’s and the Writers Guild of America’s strikes against the movie studios, TV producers and video streaming moguls, too.
Gallup, in polls last year, confirmed that huge support for all three unions. UAW beat the Detroit automakers 75%-19%, the writers beat the studios 72%-19% and the actors triumphed 67%-24%.
“Americans want the freedom to organize,” AFSCME President Lee Saunders, who chairs the federation’s Political Committee, concluded. “From cultural institutions to health care and child care, working people across the country are showing the power they have in a union to negotiate better pay, to strengthen benefits and job security, to improve worker safety, and to invest in a strong retirement. Americans know that unions give working people the freedom to get ahead.
“We have an opportunity in 2024 to elect pro-worker leaders to the White House, Congress, governorships, state legislatures and beyond who believe unions are essential to growing the middle class and will pass legislation to guarantee workers a seat at the table. With public support for unions near an all-time high, we know a better future for all working families is within reach. And we’re ready to organize and mobilize to realize that future.”
Meanwhile, in its third survey of Business in Society, from April 29-May 6, a “nationally representative sample of 5,835 U.S. adults” was highly skeptical of businesses speaking out, especially on social issues. Even where a majority of adults supported corporations’ right to speak, the percentages dropped like a rock in the last four years.
As a result, heavy majorities of every group, by race, gender, creed, and political affiliation, said businesses should shut up on three of the most important issues in the election. Only 17% support corporate endorsements of political candidates, while 20% support firms taking stands on abortion, and 13% support corporate stances on religious issues. The survey did not include labor issues.
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