WASHINGTON —Public support for unions has hit its highest point since 1965, the Gallup Organization’s annual poll says, as respondents approve of unions by a 71%-26% margin, with the rest undecided.
That ties the 1965 figure of 71% support, Gallup reported. Then, 19% of the public opposed unions, with the rest undecided. The all-time records in the union support-opposition poll, which started in 1936, were 75%-18% in 1953 and 75%-14% in the first of three surveys in 1957. The rest of the respondents were undecided.
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler lauded the results, which she said reflect the facts on the ground, in increased enthusiasm and organizing. That’s been especially true among low-wage exploited workers.
“After a year of victorious strikes, record union election filings and relentless efforts from corporate billionaires to silence workers, today comes as no surprise. Working people recognize the need for a collective voice—and it shows. We are stronger in a union,” Shuler declared.
The 71% support, plus or minus a percentage point or two, held across the board among men and women and by race. The variations came in party preference.
Democrats supported unions by an 89%-10% margin while Republicans were at 58%-42%. Independents were close to the overall figures (68%-28%). Even self-described conservatives backed unions, 54%-44%, Gallup reported.
The high support comes despite low union density. Gallup reported that 16% of respondents were either union members (6%) or had a family member unionist (7%) or both were (3%). Gallup’s surveyors called 1,006 people by phone and the top-line 71% support figure is subject to a 4% plus-or-minus error.
“Better pay and benefits” was the top reason (65%) unionists gave for joining up, followed by worker rights and representation (57%), job security (42%), better pensions and retirement benefits (34%), a better work environment (25%), fairness and equality at work (23%) and health and safety protections (9%). Only one in 20 unionists cited “unions having a positive effect on the country.
There was one warning flag for union organizers, but not in the top-line union approval poll: Some 58% of the un-organized don’t want to be union members. That figure conflicts with other surveys the AFL-CIO has cited in the past. By contrast, in this survey, one of every nine of those unorganized workers told surveyors they are “extremely interested” in joining unions.
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