TAKE A TOUR OF THE NEW GALLUP.COM [X]
Sign In Get Alerts
Careers
  • Print
  • Share

Labor Unions

Trend: Do You Approve or Disapprove of Labor Unions?

Do you approve or disapprove of labor unions?

Approve

Disapprove

No opinion

%

%

%

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

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

Yes

No

No opinion

%

%

%

2011 Aug 11-14

17

82

1

2010 Aug 5-8

16

83

1

2009 Aug 6-9

18

81

*

2008 Aug 7-10

17

82

*

2007 Aug 13-16

16

84

*

2006 Aug 7-10

17

81

2

2005 Aug 8-11

19

81

*

2004 Aug 9-11

18

82

*

2003 Aug 4-6

18

82

*

2002 Aug 5-8

14

85

1

* Less than 0.5%

Thinking about the future, do you think labor unions in this country will become -- [ROTATED: stronger than they are today, the same as today, (or) weaker than they are today]?

Stronger

Same

Weaker

No opinion

%

%

%

%

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

Would you, personally, like to see labor unions in the United States have -- [ROTATED: 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

%

%

%

%

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

Overall, do you think labor unions mostly help or mostly hurt [INSERT ITEM, RANDOM ORDER]? How about -- [INSERT NEXT ITEM]?

A. Workers who are members of unions

Mostly help

Mostly hurt

No opinion

%

%

%

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

B. The U.S. economy in general

Mostly help

Mostly hurt

No opinion

%

%

%

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

^ WORDING: The economy

C. Workers who are not members of unions

Mostly help

Mostly hurt

No opinion

%

%

%

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

D. The companies where workers are unionized

Mostly help

Mostly hurt

No opinion

%

%

%

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

E. States and cities where government workers are unionized

Mostly help

Mostly hurt

No opinion

%

%

%

2011 Aug 11-14

47

45

7

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? First, ... Next, [RANDOM ORDER]

Organized labor

Great
deal

Quite
a lot

Some

Very
little

None
(vol.)

No
opin-
ion

Great
deal/
Quite
a lot

%

%

%

%

%

%

%

2011 Jun 9-12

9

12

39

33

4

3

21

2010 Jul 8-11

10

10

41

33

3

4

20

2009 Jun 14-17

8

11

40

34

5

3

19

2008 Jun 9-12

10

10

44

28

2

6

20

2007 Jun 11-14

8

11

45

29

3

3

19

2006 Jun 1-4

9

15

43

26

2

6

24

2005 May 23-26

12

12

47

23

2

4

24

2004 May 21-23

12

19

43

22

2

2

31

2003 Jun 9-10

12

16

47

20

2

3

28

2002 Jun 21-23

11

15

48

21

2

3

26

2001 Jun 8-10

12

14

43

23

3

5

26

2000 Jun 22-25

9

16

44

23

2

5

25

1999 Jun 25-27

13

15

44

24

2

2

28

1998 Jun 5-7

11

15

45

22

2

5

26

1997 Jul 25-27

11

12

43

27

2

5

23

1996 May 28-29

11

14

44

26

2

3

25

1995 Apr 21-24

11

15

46

23

2

3

26

1994 Mar 25-29

11

15

41

28

3

2

26

1993 Mar 22-24

9

17

41

26

3

4

26

1991 Oct 10-13

10

12

39

32

2

4

22

1991 Feb 28-Mar 3

11

14

42

25

2

6

25

1990 Aug 16-19

11

16

40

25

3

5

27

1988 Sep 23-26

9

17

40

27

4

3

26

1987 Jul 10-13

7

19

39

28

3

4

26

1986 Jul 11-14

10

19

39

26

3

4

29

1985 May 17-20

8

20

39

27

3

4

28

1984 Oct 6-10

13

17

34

32

--

4

30

1983 Aug 5-8

8

18

38

28

2

6

26

1981 Nov 20-23

11

17

32

25

12

4

28

1979 Apr 6-9

14

22

33

24

3

4

36

1977 Jan 7-10

15

24

32

21

2

6

39

1975 May 30-Jun 2

14

22

34

23

2

6

36

1973 May 4-7 ^

14

16

36

15

9

10

30

(vol.) = Volunteered response

^ WORDING: Labor unions

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]?

2011 Mar 25-27
Sorted by "too much"

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

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

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]?

2011 Mar 3-6
(sorted by "favor")


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

As you may know, many U.S. state governments are facing large budget deficits this year. Please say whether you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose each of the following ways state officials could reduce their budget deficits. How about -- [RANDOM ORDER]?

A. Increasing state sales, income or other taxes

Strongly
favor

Favor

Oppose

Strongly
oppose

No opinion

2011 Feb 21

4%

23

44

27

2

B. Reducing or eliminating certain state programs

Strongly
favor

Favor

Oppose

Strongly
oppose

No opinion

2011 Feb 21

15%

32

36

12

5

C. Reducing pay or benefits the state provides for government workers

Strongly
favor

Favor

Oppose

Strongly
oppose

No opinion

2011 Feb 21

15%

29

39

14

3

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

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

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
Click below to get more stories, RSS feeds, and e-mail alerts on these topics:
Click here for complete business coverage from Gallup.Com, including daily economic indicators, editors' insights and featured stories.
GALLUP WORLD POLL
The Gallup World Poll gives you the power to know - and act on - what the world is thinking.
Learn More...