U.S. approval rate for labor unions hits 57-year high, says Gallup poll

Seven out of 10 Americans now say they have a positive view of labor unions, a 57-year high, according to a new Gallup survey, while the percentage who say they disapprove of unions is at a 57-year low.

According to new Gallup data, just 23% of surveyed Americans said they disapproved of labor unions. That’s the lowest disapproval rate for U.S. labor unions since 1967, the last time the rate was near 23%.

Additionally, Gallup recorded a 57-year high for the U.S. union approval rate, showing that 70% of Americans support labor unions.

Despite the positive figures, the number of U.S. workers who are actually members of a labor union is at an all-time low.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, just 10% of U.S. workers are union members.

U.S. unions and organized labor have experienced massive media exposure in the years following the COVID-19 pandemic, partly due to increased strikes from powerful unions and a surging job market that left employers desperate to find workers. Last year, Hollywood experienced some of the most devastating strikes in its history, with workers from the Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild walking the picket lines for months.

The United Auto Workers also organized a monthslong strike against the Big Three U.S. automakers last year, securing massive pay and benefit increases for its members.

Additionally, unionized airline pilots and flight attendants have threatened to strike during intense contract negotiations. Other industries not typically associated with organized labor, like retail and fast food, have also helped push unions into the spotlight.