Labor Unions

Line graph. Trend in Americans' approval and disapproval of labor unions. In 2021, 68% of Americans approve of labor unions and 28% disapprove. The trend dates back to 1936, when 72% said they approved and 20% said they disapproved.

Do you approve or disapprove of labor unions?

	Approve	Disapprove	No opinion
	%	%	%
2021 Aug 2-17	68	28	4
2020 Jul 30-Aug 12	65	30	5
2019 Aug 1-14	64	32	5
2018 Aug 1-12	62	30	8
2017 Aug 2-6	61	33	5
2016 Aug 3-7	56	36	8
2015 Aug 5-9	58	36	7
2014 Aug 7-10	53	38	10
2013 Aug 7-11	54	39	7
2012 Aug 9-12	52	42	6
2011 Aug 11-14	52	42	6
2010 Aug 5-8	52	41	7
2009 Aug 6-9	48	45	7
2008 Aug 7-10	59	31	10
2007 Aug 13-16	60	32	8
2006 Aug 7-10	59	29	12
2005 Aug 8-11	58	33	9
2004 Aug 9-11	59	34	7
2003 Aug 4-6	65	29	6
2002 Aug 5-8	58	33	9
2001 Aug 16-19	60	32	8
1999 Aug 24-26	65	28	7
1999 Mar 5-7	66	29	5
1997 Aug 12-13	60	31	9
1991 Jul 18-21	60	30	10
1986 Jul 11-14	59	30	11
1985 Apr 12-15	58	27	15
1981 Aug 14-17	55	35	11
1979 May 4-7	55	33	12
1978 Jan 6-9	59	31	10
1972 Dec 8-11	60	25	15
1972 Mar 24-27	60	27	13
1967 Sep 14-19	66	23	11
1965 May 13-18	71	19	11
1963 Jan 11-16	68	22	10
1962 Jun 28-Jul 3	64	24	11
1961 Sep 21-26	69	20	11
1961 May 4-9	63	23	14
1961 Jan 12-17	70	18	12
1959 Aug 20-25	73	14	12
1959 Jan 7-12	68	19	13
1958 Oct 15-20	64	21	15
1957 Aug 29-Sep 4	65	18	17
1957 Apr 6-11	74	17	9
1957 Jan 17-22	75	14	11
1953 Oct 9-14	75	18	7
1948 Dec 10-15	64	21	15
1947 Jul 4-9	64	25	11
1941	61	30	9
1936	72	20	8
Gallup

Is anyone living in your household a member of a labor union?

	Respondent	Other household member	Both	No one in household	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2021 Aug 2-17	7	8	2	83	*
2020 Jul 30-Aug 12	7	6	3	83	--
2019 Aug 1-14	6	7	1	85	*
2018 Aug 1-12	6	9	3	80	1
2017 Aug 2-6	7	6	3	83	1
2016 Aug 3-7	9	9	3	79	1
2015 Aug 5-9	8	6	2	83	1
2014 Aug 7-10	7	10	3	79	1
2013 Aug 7-11	8	9	2	80	1
2012 Aug 9-12	6	7	4	82	1
2011 Aug 11-14	8	7	2	82	1
2010 Aug 5-8	8	6	2	83	1
2009 Aug 6-9	8	8	2	81	*
2008 Aug 7-10	8	8	1	82	*
2007 Aug 13-16	8	7	1	84	*
2006 Aug 7-10	9	7	1	81	2
2005 Aug 8-11	10	8	1	81	*
2004 Aug 9-11	10	7	1	82	*
2003 Aug 4-6	9	8	1	82	*
2002 Aug 5-8	6	7	1	85	1
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Now I am going to read you a list of institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one -- a great deal, quite a lot, some or very little? Organized labor

	Great deal	Quite a lot	Some	Very little	None (vol.)	No opinion	Great deal/Quite a lot
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
2021	12	16	46	22	1	2	28
2020	13	18	45	21	1	2	31
2019	13	16	45	22	2	2	29
2018	12	14	45	23	2	4	26
2017	13	15	41	27	2	3	28
2016	8	15	44	27	2	4	23
2015	12	12	42	28	3	3	24
2014	10	12	38	33	5	3	22
2013	10	10	42	31	4	4	20
2012	11	10	37	34	4	4	21
2011	9	12	39	33	4	3	21
2010	10	10	41	33	3	4	20
2009	8	11	40	34	5	3	19
2008	10	10	44	28	2	6	20
2007	8	11	45	29	3	3	19
2006	9	15	43	26	2	6	24
2005	12	12	47	23	2	4	24
2004	12	19	43	22	2	2	31
2003	12	16	47	20	2	3	28
2002	11	15	48	21	2	3	26
2001	12	14	43	23	3	5	26
2000	9	16	44	23	2	5	25
1999	13	15	44	24	2	2	28
1998	11	15	45	22	2	5	26
1997	11	12	43	27	2	5	23
1996	11	14	44	26	2	3	25
1995	11	15	46	23	2	3	26
1994	11	15	41	28	3	2	26
1993	9	17	41	26	3	4	26
1991 Oct	10	12	39	32	2	4	22
1991 Feb	11	14	42	25	2	6	25
1990	11	16	40	25	3	5	27
1989	--	--	--	--	--	--	--
1988	9	17	40	27	4	3	26
1987	7	19	39	28	3	4	26
1986	10	19	39	26	3	4	29
1985	8	20	39	27	3	4	28
1984	13	17	34	32	--	4	30
1983	8	18	38	28	2	6	26
1981	11	17	32	25	12	4	28
1979	14	22	33	24	3	4	36
1977	15	24	32	21	2	6	39
1975	14	22	34	23	2	6	36
1973	14	16	36	15	9	10	30
(vol.) = Volunteered response; * Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Thinking about the future, do you think labor unions in this country will become stronger than they are today, the same as today or weaker than they are today?

	Stronger	Same	Weaker	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2018 Aug 1-12	19	24	51	5
2017 Aug 2-6	22	27	46	5
2016 Aug 3-7	22	25	46	7
2015 Aug 5-9	21	23	53	4
2014 Aug 7-10	21	25	49	6
2013 Aug 7-11	22	21	52	5
2012 Aug 9-12	21	22	52	4
2011 Aug 11-14	20	22	55	3
2010 Aug 5-8	25	25	46	5
2009 Aug 6-9	24	24	48	4
2008 Aug 7-10	22	30	41	7
2007 Aug 13-16	19	31	45	5
2005 Aug 8-11	19	25	53	3
2004 Aug 9-11	21	34	41	4
2002 Aug 5-8	23	35	36	6
2001 Aug 16-19	24	30	40	6
1999 Aug 24-26	25	28	44	3
Gallup

Would you, personally, like to see labor unions in the United States have more influence than they have today, the same amount as today or less influence than they have today?

	More influence	Same amount	Less influence	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2018 Aug 1-12	39	26	29	6
2017 Aug 2-6	39	30	28	3
2016 Aug 3-7	36	26	34	4
2015 Aug 5-9	37	24	35	4
2014 Aug 7-10	35	23	37	5
2013 Aug 7-11	33	25	38	4
2012 Aug 9-12	29	25	41	4
2011 Aug 11-14	30	25	42	3
2010 Aug 5-8	29	27	40	4
2009 Aug 6-9	25	28	42	5
2008 Aug 7-10	35	28	32	5
2007 Aug 13-16	35	33	28	4
2005 Aug 8-11	38	29	30	3
2004 Aug 9-11	29	36	32	3
2002 Aug 5-8	27	36	31	6
2001 Aug 16-19	30	35	31	4
1999 Aug 24-26	30	36	32	2
Gallup

Overall, do you think labor unions mostly help or mostly hurt -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

	Mostly help	Mostly hurt	No opinion
	%	%	%
Workers who are members of unions
2016 Aug 3-7	70	24	6
2011 Aug 11-14	68	28	4
2009 Aug 6-9	66	28	6
2006 Aug 7-10	71	21	8
2005 Aug 28-30	69	25	6
2003 Aug 4-6	76	20	4
2001 Aug 16-19	74	20	6
1999 Mar 5-7	72	24	4
The U.S. economy in general
2016 Aug 3-7	52	41	7
2011 Aug 11-14	45	49	6
2009 Aug 6-9	39	51	10
2006 Aug 7-10	53	36	11
2005 Aug 28-30	54	39	7
2003 Aug 4-6	54	38	8
2001 Aug 16-19	49	38	13
1999 Mar 5-7	55	37	8
1997 Aug 22-25 ^	48	45	7
Workers who are not members of unions
2016 Aug 3-7	38	54	8
2011 Aug 11-14	34	56	10
2009 Aug 6-9	29	62	9
2006 Aug 7-10	33	51	16
2005 Aug 28-30	38	52	10
2003 Aug 4-6	36	54	10
2001 Aug 16-19	36	50	14
1999 Mar 5-7	35	55	10
The companies where workers are unionized
2016 Aug 3-7	55	39	7
2011 Aug 11-14	48	44	8
2009 Aug 6-9	45	46	9
2006 Aug 7-10	50	39	11
2005 Aug 28-30	53	40	7
2003 Aug 4-6	58	35	7
2001 Aug 16-19	52	38	10
^ WORDING: The economy
Gallup

Have you heard of state laws called right-to-work or "open shop" laws?

	Yes, heard of	No, not heard of	No opinion
	%	%	%
2014 Aug 7-10	55	45	1
1957 Jul 18-23	66	32	2
Gallup

Some states have passed right-to-work or open shop laws that say each worker has the right to hold his job in a company, no matter whether he joins a labor union, or not. If you were asked to vote on such a law, would you vote for it, or against it?

	Vote for	Vote against	No opinion
	%	%	%
2014 Aug 7-10	71	22	7
1957 Jul 18-23	62	27	11
Gallup

Those in favor of right-to-work or open shop laws say that no American should be required to join any private organization, like a labor union, against his will. Do you agree or disagree with this?

	Agree	Disagree	No opinion
	%	%	%
2014 Aug 7-10 ^	82	15	3
1957 Jul 18-23	73	18	9
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

Those opposed to right-to-work or open shop laws say that when all workers share the gains won by the labor union, all workers should have to join and pay dues to give the union financial support. Do you agree or disagree with this?

	Agree	Disagree	No opinion
	%	%	%
2014 Aug 7-10 ^	32	64	5
1957 Jul 18-23	44	41	14
^ Asked of a half sample
Gallup

As I read off each of the following, please tell me whether you think it has too much power, about the right amount of power or not enough power. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

	Too much	About right	Not enough	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
Lobbyists	71	13	8	8
Major corporations	67	21	9	3
Banks and financial institutions	67	23	8	2
The federal government in Washington	58	30	9	3
Labor unions	43	28	24	4
The government in your state	34	49	15	2
The courts, legal system and judges	34	49	14	3
Organized religion and churches	25	46	24	4
The municipal or local government where you live	22	53	21	3
The military	14	53	28	4
2011 Mar 25-27
Gallup

What word or phrase comes to mind when you think of labor unions? [OPEN-ENDED]

	2011 Mar 3-6
	%
Good/Great	10
No longer needed/Unnecessary	6
For them/Approve/In favor	6
Needed/Necessary	6
Dislike	4
Against/Not for	4
Bad/Unfair	4
Powerful	3
Worker's rights	3
Crooks/Thieves	3
Corrupt	2
Protection	2
OK/Fair	2
Greedy	2
Outdated	1
Strikes	1
Collective bargaining	1
Helpful	1
Positive	1
Negative	1
Controlling	1
Evil	1
Get rid of/Disband	1
Other	23
No opinion	12
Gallup

Thinking now about state government efforts to balance their budgets, please say whether you would favor or oppose taking each of the following steps to help balance your state's budget. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

	Favor	Oppose	No opinion
	%	%	%
Reducing or eliminating certain state programs	65	32	3
Reducing the number of workers on the state payroll	62	35	3
Changing state laws to limit the bargaining power of state employee unions	49	45	6
Reducing state worker pay and benefits	43	54	4
Raising state taxes on businesses	39	58	2
Raising state income or sales taxes	33	66	1
Borrowing more money by issuing bonds	30	66	3
2011 Mar 3-6
Gallup

As you may know, one way the legislature in Wisconsin is seeking to reduce its budget deficit is by passing a bill that would take away some of the collective bargaining rights of most public unions, including the state teachers' union. Would you favor or oppose such a bill in your state?

	Favor	Oppose	No opinion
	%	%	%
2011 Feb 21	33	61	6
Asked on Gallup Daily tracking survey
Gallup

In states in which government workers belong to unions, do you think those unions are generally more helpful or more harmful to those states?

	More helpful	More harmful	No opinion
	%	%	%
2011 Feb 21	45	46	9
Asked on Gallup Daily tracking survey
Gallup

In the labor disputes of the last two or three years, have your sympathies, in general been -- [ROTATED: on the side of unions (or) on the side of the companies]?

	Unions	Companies	Neither (vol.)	Both (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2005 Aug 28-30	52	34	6	3	5
2002 Aug 5-8	44	36	5	5	10
2001 Aug 16-19	45	37	4	5	9
1999 Aug 24-26	45	37	5	6	7
1952 Oct 17-22	42	29	--	3	26
1952 Oct 3-8	45	29	--	4	23
1952 Sep 28-Oct 2	42	33	--	1	23
1952 Sep 20-25	40	34	--	1	25
1952 Jul 25-30	47	36	--	--	17
(vol.)=volunteered response
Gallup

Labor Unions

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