Union Favorability Numbers Continue to Fall
Coinciding with Democratic victories in the 2006 Congressional elections has been a sharp decline in the public’s opinion of big labor. Why? Democrats cannot help but placate their most ardent supporters, unions. This graph from the Pew Research Center beautiful illustrates the 2006 Democratic victory and subsequent anti-union backlash.
The Pew Research Center summarizes its findings:
"Favorable views of labor unions have plummeted since 2007, amid growing public skepticism about unions’ purpose and power. Currently, 41% say they have a favorable opinion of labor unions while about as many (42%) express an unfavorable opinion. In January 2007, a clear majority (58%) had a favorable view of unions while just 31% had an unfavorable impression."
Labor’s favorability numbers have fallen off of a cliff. Overwhelmingly, it is Democrats that aid unions just as unions, overwhelmingly, donate to Democrats – explaining why public favorability of unions fell during a Democrat controlled Congress. Americans’ resentment stems from the cushy relationship unions have with politicians. Representing a tiny fraction of the American workforce, around 7%, unions consistently are the recipients of government handouts. While Americans have braved the downturn, unions are coddled by their paternal members of Congress.
Americans are not a jealous people, but they do have a breaking point. When a person reads in the newspaper “White House officials and union leaders, reached a health care deal that would exempt union health care plans from new taxes,” they cannot help but feel cheated.
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