Americans Continue to Back UAW’s Negotiating Stance and Strike
Surveys conducted Sept. 27-30, Oct. 6-8, Oct. 11-14 and Oct. 18-20, 2023, among representative samples of roughly 2,200 U.S. adults each, with unweighted margins of error of +/-2 percentage points.
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United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain’s decision to maintain the union’s labor strike against General Motors, Ford and Stellantis despite improved offers from the automakers may be raising some eyebrows, but Morning Consult survey trends suggest it’s not shaking the public’s confidence.
According to our latest tracking survey on the strike, conducted Oct. 18-20, just 22% of U.S. adults said the union is asking for “too much” in order to halt its strike against the automakers. That share is roughly unchanged since the first time we asked the question late last month, when 24% said the union was asking for too much.
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That lack of movement over the past month has come despite the union’s decision to hold out for more even as the automakers have made improved offers. Similarly, overall support among the public for the strike is also enduring.
A Majority of Americans Continue to Support the UAW Strike
In the latest survey, 56% of U.S. adults said they support the UAW’s strike, including a record-high 73% of Democrats. And while independents and Republicans are less likely to support the strike than their more liberal counterparts, those Americans are also more likely than not to back the union’s efforts.
The bottom line
Almost two months into the UAW’s standoff, Morning Consult’s tracking data makes clear that for most of the public, there’s no line too far for the union to take. That gives Fain a wide berth in negotiations, and means his lone major concern is keeping his own striking members in line.
Cameron Easley is Morning Consult’s lead analyst for U.S. politics. Prior to moving into his current role, he led Morning Consult's editorial coverage of U.S. politics and elections from 2016 through 2022. Cameron joined Morning Consult from Roll Call, where he was managing editor. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Follow him on Twitter @cameron_easley. Interested in connecting with Cameron to discuss his analysis or for a media engagement or speaking opportunity? Email [email protected].
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