The public strongly supports striking entertainment industry workers and their fight for fair contracts, according to the results released today from a nationwide poll conducted by Data for Progress. More than two-thirds said they support the strikes by SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, with only 18% opposed.
Remarkably, even among those who view labor unions negatively, nearly half support the strikes, with just 37% opposed.
The results are even more dramatic when respondents are asked to weigh in on the individual issues over which the unions are striking, with between 72% and 87% agreeing on the unions’ stance over compensation, limits to AI use and other issues.
“The data shows that most people understand why the union was forced to go on strike. I suspect many are seeing the same dynamic playing out in their own lives, with employers undervaluing their contributions,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “That’s why this fight is so important. Our demands aren’t unreasonable, and it’s a fundamental principle of fairness that workers should be fairly compensated for the value they bring their employer — in every industry.”
The Data for Progress survey took place Aug. 3 to 5, among a sample of 1,124 likely voters nationally, weighted to be representative of likely voters by age, gender, education, race, geography and voting history. The margin of error is ±3 percentage.
