Most Americans Support Unions, Terms of Free Choice Act

Personal financial worries and a disgust with greedy employers has a growing majority of Americans favoring unions and condemning the threats, bullying and firings that managers use to thwart workers' organizing and bargaining rights, a new AFL-CIO poll shows.

Union leaders say the findings bolster the case for the Employee Free Choice Act, which would make it easier for workers to form unions and bargain first contracts while cracking down on employers who use illegal tactics with near impunity. The bill now has majority, bipartisan support in the U.S. House, reports CWA Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach.

Asked how important it is to "have strong laws that give employees the freedom to make their own choice about whether to have a union in their workplace without interference from management," more than 90 percent of those polled said it's important, with 57 percent saying "very important."

According to the Hart Research poll, done for the AFL-CIO in December, 65 percent of Americans approve of unions, up from 55 percent in 1981, and just 25 percent disapprove, a drop from 35 percent in 1981.

The vast majority of respondents said the tactics employers use against union supporters are unacceptable. The biggest outcry was over firing union activists — 94 percent disapproved — but at a minimum, six out of 10 people disapprove of all pressure tactics, from captive audience meetings to anti-union literature in pay envelopes to having supervisors urge employees to vote against the union.

When pollsters asked people how they feel about their financial situations, 60 percent said they were either "just getting by" or falling behind. Only 23 percent expect things to get better for future generations.

Whether workers have a union or not, the poll shows that they recognize how much of an impact unions have on wages and benefits for everyone. Asked what would happen to pay and benefits if there were no more unions, 62 percent said it would have a negative effect.

Pollsters briefly explained the Employee Free Choice Act and asked if respondents would support it. Overall 69 percent said they are in favor, with 28 percent strongly favorable. While Democrats and union members gave the strongest support, 54 percent of Republicans also indicated they somewhat or strongly favor the proposed law.