Political Survey Features Labor’s Decline

by | Feb 10, 2016 | News

Last month, Working America, an affiliate of the AFL-CIO, released a report that examined Donald Trump’s appeal to working-class voters. The goal? To reveal the issues, information, and the type of messenger needed to counter the Trump version of the conservative message that has taken America by storm. Of the 1,689 prospective voters canvassed during this study, 53 percent said they were still currently undecided about the presidential race. However, among the decided, 38 percent favored Trump, while only 22 percent favored Clinton and 12 percent favored Sanders. Even more, the study found that Trump supporters were strikingly loyal – with one-third stating they wouldn’t vote for anyone else if Trump wasn’t on the ticket. What’s particularly interesting about this study is that the Americans surveyed held household incomes of $75,000 or less. Households with these demographics would, historically, go along with an agenda in line with the AFL-CIO (although many union members have defected to Republican candidates in recent elections). This time around they are supporting a candidate who could not be more at odds with Big Labor’s political agenda. Maybe this is the reality check Big Labor needs, but we’re not holding our breath.  Big Labor has been able to pretty much do whatever it wants politically for decades, even when it conflicts with the view of its members. More and more union members today see they have a choice. Whether through state right-to-work laws or soon the choice to not pay dues in public sector jobs, union members are increasingly aware they don’t have to go along with political elites on either side of the aisle. Read the full report here.

INK Newsletter

APPROACHABILITY MINUTE

GET OUR RETENTION TOOLKIT

PUBLICATIONS

Archives

Categories