PUBLIC SUPPORT for unions has hit its highest point since 1965, the Gallup Organisation’s annual poll says, as respondents approve of unions by a 71 per cent to 26 per cent margin, with the rest undecided.

That ties the 1965 figure of 71 per cent support, Gallup reported. Then, 19 per cent 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 per cent to 18 per cent in 1953 and 75 per cent to 14 per cent 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 organising. That has 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 recognise the need for a collective voice — and it shows. We are stronger in a union,” Shuler declared.

The 71 per cent 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 per cent to 10 per cent margin while Republicans were at 58 per cent to 42 per cent. Independents were close to the overall figures (68 per cent to 28 per cent). Even self-described conservatives backed unions, 54 per cent to 44 per cent, Gallup reported.

This high support comes despite low union density. Gallup reported that 16 per cent of respondents were either union members (6 per cent) or had a family member in a union (7 per cent) or both (3 per cent). Gallup’s surveyors called 1,006 people by phone and the top-line 71 per cent support figure is subject to a 4 per cent plus-or-minus error.

“Better pay and benefits” was the top reason (65 per cent) trade unionists gave for joining up, followed by worker rights and representation (57 per cent), job security (42 per cent), better pensions and retirement benefits (34 per cent), a better work environment (25 per cent), fairness and equality at work (23 per cent) and health and safety protections (9 per cent). Only one in 20 unionists cited “unions having a positive effect on the country.”

There was one warning flag for union organisers, but not in the top-line union approval poll: some 58 per cent of the un-organised 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 unorganised workers told surveyors they are “extremely interested” in joining unions.