A majority of Americans support higher pay for auto workers who are on strike against Detroit’s Big Three carmakers, although approval of the workers’ other demands is more mixed, according to a poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
The poll found that 36% of Americans sympathize with the workers in their dispute with the automakers, 9% support the automakers, and the rest back both or neither.
Support for the autoworkers fell short of the 55% support for striking Hollywood writers and actors in an AP-NORC poll conducted last month.
Still, the new poll adds to evidence of U.S. support for labor unions during a year marked by strikes in Hollywood, a walkout that was narrowly averted by Teamsters at United Parcel Service, and now the picket lines outside auto plants.
I want to believe but…
The reason why SAG and the WGA got such strong support is that they largely used social media to build up support. Folk like Adam Conniver were actively doing the rounds on a LOT of media (and gaming) podcasts to explain what was going on and why the gang were going to play KOTOR instead of continuing to watch Star Wars and so forth. And I am sure stuff like the Always Sunny podcast and Scrubs re-watch had similar messages from the actors who hosted it. Which is in stark contrast to the last round where it was “Well, Lost and Breaking Bad are never coming back”
For the auto workers? I wonder how much of that is support versus apathy and general disdain for c-suites. Like, I support the auto workers. I also am under no illusions that their strike has any meaningful impact on me since I am not buying a new car until at least next year (when the EVs I want are native NACS and have rear window wipers).
SAG/WGA controls the creation of near endless amounts of original content. Without them, studios lose nearly a trillion dollars in potential revenue.
UAW members assemble for the big 3 automakers and can lock down any plant they choose causing billions in losses. Same goes for Unifor in Canada and the unions in Mexico.
They really don’t need public support. But then the public itself is not getting paid either. So it’s very easy to sympathize with fellow underpaid workers.
No, you very much do need public support.
Because studios and automakers have deep pockets and can weather a storm. Whereas workers and the actors not getting paid tom cruise money more or less can’t. Which is where donations to fund, helping out with food at the picket line, etc help. It stretches the union’s coffers a lot.
But also? Public backlash was a big factor for the last rounds of hollywood strikes. Some of it was people getting pissed off their shows weren’t on. But it was also acceptance of an environment where the scabs (sanctioned and unsanctioned) made off like gangsters.
As much as I love Conan’s work, a lot of his massive popularity boost was how he handled being contractually obligated to put on a show. I think he and Letterman handled it well (Leno was a disphit as always), but they definitely benefited.
But also? joss whedon and other creators who found “loopholes” similarly benefited. For crying out loud, a shitty, rather creepy, musical about fridging a girl on youtube was the most popular thing on the planet for a month or so.
And both of those eroded support within the union. Because, is it REALLY worth fighting a bit longer when someone else is getting set up for life by getting their scab on? And there were no negative repercussions.
Which is why SAG/WGA, through social media, went scorched earth on people like Stephen Amell and Drew Barrymore.
And this is true for all strikes. If your local starbucks is striking and everyone is getting pissed off they can’t get their coffee or angry that the sidewalk is blocked? That makes it clear to management that they can wait it out and will likely see a burst in customer traffic when it is over.
