Support for labor unions in the U.S. is at a 57-year high

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Support for labor unions in the U.S. is at a 57-year high, according to a new Gallup poll.

Seventy-one percent of Americans now approve of labor unions — up from last year's 68%. Union support is also up from 64%, before the COVID-19 pandemic, and is the highest the polling firm has recorded since 1965.

Support for unions was highest in the 1950s, according to the Gallup, when 3 in 4 Americans approved of labor organizations.

Nowadays, union drives are on a slight upswing as a recent surge in organizing activity continues at some of the biggest companies in the U.S. Workers at Starbucks, Amazon, and Chipotle have unionized in a demand for higher wages and better working conditions.

Though fulfillment centers and coffee shop chains are some of the newer spots to organize, the Gallup poll found that union membership is still largest in long-unionized industries. The organization says membership "is highest among front-line and production workers"; 20% of them belong to a union.

Following those workers are health care and social assistance professionals, 13% of whom are union members, then white-collar workers (at 11%), and then administrative and clerical staff (at 10%).

Support for unions maybe be at a record high, but the number of those who can actually say they are members of a union are still quite low, when compared to decades past.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that as of 2021, the number of workers belonging to unions is at 14 million — or 10.3%. That is down from 10.8% in 2020. In 1983, the earliest year with comparable membership data, around 20% of workers were in unions, BLS said.

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flannelheart on August 31st, 2022 at 19:41 UTC »

I, a union member, refused to cross a picket line set up by a different union last year. I was threatened with firing, demotion and pay. At the start of the strike the other union was being offered a first year raise of around .75 cents/hr. After 3 days of picketing, and other craft unions honoring their lines and stopping production, they were up to $2.75 and still negotiating. That puts food on a table and shoes on a kids feet. we live under a capitalist system and our capital is our labor. Withholding that labor is about the only power we have. Don’t cross picket lines. Stay strong brothers and sisters and have each other‘s backs. Btw, I was back at work 2 days later with no repercussions because I am protected in my union contract against punishment for not crossing a picket line.

SilverNicktail on August 31st, 2022 at 19:26 UTC »

Man, who would have thought that the younger generations would have had absolutely fucking enough of this fucking bullshit?

Yarddogkodabear on August 31st, 2022 at 16:39 UTC »

Polls that ask "Would you like to have more say in the way your workplace." Polls at 96%

Polls that say "Democracy in work place." Also high

But the word unions changes the poll results.

Most people, even union members dont understand how their unions work.