High Support for Hollywood, Auto Workers Strikes

Around three quarters of Americans surveyed by Gallup this month are in support of striking auto workers as well as television and film writers. Two thirds support the strike of television and film actors, the survey found. 19 percent to 24 percent said they sided with employers and only very few couldn't pick a side.

These findings come on the back of renewed support for unions in the United States. In 2023, 67 percent of U.S. respondents said they approved of unions, up from only 54 percent ten years ago and comparable to levels in the 1960s. Last year, support had reached 71 percent, still short of a high of 75 percent in the survey in 1953 and 1957.

Respondents were increasingly convinced that unions benefited not only unionized workers (77 percent agreement), but also the U.S. economy (61 percent). 47 percent said non-unionized workers could also see advantages, up from 29 percent in 2009.

Support remained divided among party lines, with 88 percent of Democrats and 47 percent of Republicans approving of unions. But support has grown on both sides and even included 56 percent of Republicans last year as news about unionization efforts and counter-campaigns at companies like Starbucks and Amazon, among others, reached their height.