How Americans Feel About Labor Unions

How many people do you know who belong to a labor union? Perhaps you can't name any. Even if you can name a few people, chances are that you can name fewer people than one would have been able to name 50 years ago. In 1954, unions represented 39 percent of workers in the private sector of the U.S. economy; in 2001, they represented only 14 percent. What has happened to diminish the importance of organized labor today? Have unions perhaps outlived their usefulness in a rapidly changing global economy dominated by the service industry? To learn more facts about unions, and how Americans feel about them, visit Public Agenda Online (www.publicagenda.org). Under "The Issues" on the left-hand side of the page, click on Economy, next click on Fact File, and from the list select "Union membership is down." Now answer the following question:

1. The graph shows that union membership is declining. What explanation can you offer for this decline?

Click your web browser's Back, select "Union membership by occupation," and answer these questions:

2. Which occupation has the highest percentage of workers in unions? Which has the least?
3. Do you know anyone who is a union member and works in one of these occupations?

Click your Back button, from the left-hand side of the page under "Public Opinion" click on People's Chief Concerns, then scroll down and click on "Americans are divided on whether unions have too much power and whether to support unions or companies in labor disputes."

4. What percent of Americans mostly agreed with the statement, "Labor unions have too much power"?
5. If you had taken this poll, which response would you have selected? Why?

Click your Back button, click on "Most Americans approve of labor unions and say they are necessary to protect workers," and answer these questions.

6. What percent of Americans disapprove of labor unions?
7. Do you approve or disapprove of labor unions? Explain.
8. Do you completely agree, mostly agree, mostly disagree, or completely disagree with the statement, "Labor unions are necessary to protect the working person."
9. Look at the pie chart on the right-hand side of the page. How does your own opinion compare to other Americans' opinions?