Americans support unions over big companies by a record-high margin
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The popularity of labor unions surged over the past decade, while American sentiment toward big business has fallen, according to new data published by the liberal Economic Policy Institute.
Why it matters: The approval switcheroo helps explain, in part, why the Republican Party has been courting labor unions in recent years.
Zoom in: For the past 60 years, American National Election Studies has been surveying Americans, asking them to rate their feelings toward labor unions and big business.
- Up until 2012, sentiment moved together, but in the recovery from the Global Financial Crisis things changed.
Zoom out: After the pandemic, public support for labor unions and workers increased even more.
- At the same time, increasing populism meant less support for businesses, even from Republicans who typically support their interests.
The bottom line: Americans are more likely to support unions than big companies by the widest margin in 60 years.
