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Labor unions reach 70% approval rating in the US, highest since the mid-1960s


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As recently as 2009, unions were unpopular; Gallup showed only 48 percent approved of them (against 45 who disapproved and seven percent who had no opinion). That was an outlier; in most years labor's approval rated somewhere between 50 and 60 percent. But after 2009's dismal showing, labor's approval rating started climbing.

 

After Donald Trump was elected president it climbed into the low 60s and then the high 60s. This year, unions' approval rating is 70 percent, the highest it's been since the mid-1960s (with the exception of 2022, when it was 71 percent).

 

People don't just approve of unions; they like them a lot. Even some Republicans—according to Pew, more than one-third—like labor unions. Among moderate Republicans, more than half view unions favorably, and among conservative Republicans more than one-quarter do.

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But on the other hand: Unionization tends to breed more unionization. As more college professors and newspaper reporters vote union, the proletariat may resolve not to be left out. In the 1970s, economists thought labor organizing increased economic inequality. That turned out to be wrong. Let's hope it continues to be wrong. Labor strength has always been, and, I believe, still remains, a central working-class concern.

The New Republic

 

We love to see it!

 

tp1.jpgronald_reagan_iran_contra.jpg

Edited by Virgos Groove
  • Like 7

Posted (edited)

A tale as old as time: ppl will always caught onto the lies and fake fear-mongering, eventually :lakitu:

Edited by Contessa
Posted

Interesting :clap3:

Posted

When people aren't paid fairly and watch as inflation has far outpaced salary increases since the 80s to the point they struggle to buy groceries, pay off medical bills and student debt, and own a home, observe how disgustingly disproportionate executive pay is compared to other lower workers, and resent how much they're overworked and taken advantage of their labor for, it's no surprise demand for labors is back up again. 

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Posted

Unions are nothing like they used to be in the 60's but it's better than nothing.

 

:suburban:

Posted

I clearly must be very ignorant on the subject because I had no idea that unions were so controversial among the public? why would anyone who isn't a CEO or on the board of a highly successful company be anti-union? :deadbanana: I never hear anyone, even republicans, express disapproval for unions, so I'm shocked that (apparently) 30% of people don't approve. what are the arguments against it? 

 

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Posted
5 minutes ago, HeavyMetalAura said:

I clearly must be very ignorant on the subject because I had no idea that unions were so controversial among the public? why would anyone who isn't a CEO or on the board of a highly successful company be anti-union? :deadbanana: I never hear anyone, even republicans, express disapproval for unions, so I'm shocked that (apparently) 30% of people don't approve. what are the arguments against it? 

 

Business owners end up using them as scapegoats, and many people fall for it

Posted
4 minutes ago, HeavyMetalAura said:

I clearly must be very ignorant on the subject because I had no idea that unions were so controversial among the public? why would anyone who isn't a CEO or on the board of a highly successful company be anti-union? :deadbanana: I never hear anyone, even republicans, express disapproval for unions, so I'm shocked that (apparently) 30% of people don't approve. what are the arguments against it? 

 

A combination of factors:

  • Years of propaganda by the media and people like Ronald Reagan made America see unions as lazy workers who need to be fired;
  • Red-baiting, with claims of "Soviet infiltration" in labor unions (there was indeed a major communist presence in the labor union in the 30s and 40s which is no bad thing);
  • The Taft–Hartley Act of 1947, which massively reduced union's powers. You no longer needed to be a member to enjoy the spoils of their fights;
  • "White moderates" (as MLK called them) tend to feel annoyed by unions' more militant tactics;
  • Alleged mafia connections in the 60s;
  • Some people are just outright bootlickers and will betray anyone for the mere dream of power.
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Posted

Virgos Groove why are you so smart and educated, it's incredible

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