The AFL-CIO contracted a public polling agency to ask people questions about people's opinions about unions. The results are promising, to say the least.
Labor union support transcends party lines: About 91% of Democrats, 69% of independents and 52% of Republicans approve of unions, according to the poll.
Americans support better wages and benefits for workers: Three-fourths of Americans support “workers going on strike to negotiate for better wages, benefits, and working conditions” with nearly half saying they strongly support doing so.
Young people support the labor movement: Voters under 30 show wide support for labor unions. 88% percent approve of unions and 90% say they support strikes.
Other results include the majority of people feel that having more workers become unionized would be a benefit to society; Most people also think that unions are a benefit to workers and to the economy; and that unions make the workplace better, including better pay, better benefits and making the workplace safer.
The poll also showed that AI is a growing concern among workers. People are afraid that AI could end up displacing workers and they want the comfort of having unions to back them and fight for them.
On the downside, the article did state that union membership went down again in 2022. But I think that the numbers for next year will tell a very different story, considering large movement to unionize at places like Starbucks and Amazon. And the more that people see the unions fighting and winning, they will want to be on that team as well.
I also don't think that this movement will end with the summer either.
Solidarity!
