---
title: "Positive Union Approval Trend"
description: ""
url: "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/union-approval"
date: "2026-06-10T18:27:35+00:00"
language: "en-US"
---

#  Union Approval at 57-year High

Written on October 04, 2022.

*Tag(s):* [October 2022 Newsletter](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_tags&view=tag&id%5B0%5D=32:october-2022-newsletter)

Union approval was at its all-time high around the end of World War II, but then began a long-term decline, but recently is rising again. In August, a Gallup poll showed that public approval of labor unions reached 71% in 2022. This is the highest level since 1965. Some say recent labor activity in the wake of the coronavirus, particularly at certain well-known national companies, seems to have raised the public's perception of unions. The current Administration has certainly worked to achieve this perception as well.

Over the last decade, public approval of unions has increased nearly 20 points. The increase in public approval has occurred even though only approximately 6% of private sector workers are union members, although 16% live in a household with at least one union member.

Although public approval for unions is high, it is interesting that the Gallup poll also shows that less than half of union members said union membership was "extremely important" to them. Nearly two-thirds of such members said their motivation for joining was better pay and benefits, followed by employee rights and job security. In the case of non-union workers, 58% said they are "not interested at all" in joining a union, while 11% said they were "extremely interested."

This article is part of our October 2022 Newsletter.

[View newsletter online](https://wimlaw.com/tags/october-2022-newsletter)[
  ](https://wimlaw.com/contact)[Download the newsletter as a PDF](https://wimlaw.com/images/2022/10/2022-10-wim-law-newsletter.pdf)

- [](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Funion-approval.md&text=)
- [](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Funion-approval.md)
- [](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimlaw.com%2Fpublications%2Fnewsletters%2Funion-approval.md)
- [](mailto:?subject=Union%20Approval%20at%2057-year%20High)

##  Related Content

[ ![shirts folded and laid out across table, indoors](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/b8/shirts-lena-kudryavtseva-itUsEU7GgDU-unsplash-b8713b0f.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1272:union-shirts-premises&catid=53)

###  [Labor Board Expands Employee Rights to Wear Pro-Union Shirts at Work](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1272:union-shirts-premises&catid=53)

[Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1272:union-shirts-premises&catid=53)

[ ![pregnant mom, white shirt and jeans](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/79/anastasiia-chepinska-B7JVo5y3gL8-unsplash-79a83582.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1274:light-work-compensable-injuries&catid=53)

###  [Use of Light-Duty Work Only for Compensable Injuries Upheld](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1274:light-work-compensable-injuries&catid=53)

[Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1274:light-work-compensable-injuries&catid=53)

[ ![extracting vaccine from vile with needle by gloved person, indoors](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/d9/mufid-majnun-cM1aU42FnRg-unsplash-d98b4fee.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1275:injunction-contractor-vaccine-mandate&catid=53)

###  [Wimberly & Lawson Secures Injunction for Its Clients in Federal Contractor Vaccine Mandate Case](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1275:injunction-contractor-vaccine-mandate&catid=53)

[Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1275:injunction-contractor-vaccine-mandate&catid=53)

##  Get Email Updates

Receive newsletters and alerts directly in your email inbox. Sign up below.

##  Recent Content

 [ Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

 [ ![ai, human reach out](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/f1/igor-omilaev-FHgWFzDDAOs-unsplash-f12346e8.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53)###  [FCRA Litigation Challenges Employers’ Use of AI Hiring Platforms](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53)

[Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

A January 20, 2026, class action filed against Eightfold AI, Inc. in California is sending shockwaves through the employer and AI community…

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1582:fcra-litigation-challenges-employers-ai-hiring&catid=53)

 [ ![danger sign, skull](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/01/mikael-seegen-jX6WXNkvsPs-unsplash-01c1ebef.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53)###  [The Dangers of Employers Using AI Research Tools as to Discovery Requests from Plaintiffs](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53)

[Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

A second “bombshell” affecting HR pertaining to AI is a federal court ruling in New York, that a defendant’s use of AI in researching and p…

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1584:ai-research-discovery-requests-dangers&catid=53)

 [ ![CHAT GPT](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/64/emiliano-vittoriosi-fvxNerA8uk0-unsplash-64a16be4.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53)###  [Two Subsequent Cases Protect Defendant’s Use of AI as Subject to Work-product Protection](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53)

[Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

Soon after the deciding of the above-discussed case on February 17, 2026, in U.S. v. Heppner, a criminal case in the District Court for the…

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1585:ai-employer-protection&catid=53)

 [ ![avoid, wave away](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/6f/priscilla-du-preez-NQTphr4Pr60-unsplash-6fb4df83.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53)###  [Is There Anything an Employer Can Do to Avoid Waiving Privileges in Using AI Research Tools?](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53)

[Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

There are no easy answers to the above question, but some general observations will nevertheless be made. First, the New York district cou…

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1586:employer-avoid-waiving-privileges-ai-research&catid=53)

 [ ![ai visualization](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/45/milad-fakurian-5yWtM3M3JKM-unsplash-45306e6d.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53)###  [Suggestions on Use of AI](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53)

[Employment Law Newsletter: A Monthly Report On Labor Law Issues](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=53)

Perhaps the starting point is to look at the type of AI platforms generally available. At a recent conference about AI use for HR, speaker…

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1587:ai-legal-recommendations&catid=53)

 [ ![june 2026 legal immigration webinar promo graphic](https://wimlaw.com/media/yootheme/cache/45/june-2026-webinar-immigration-453d45bc.jpg) ](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221)###  [Worksite Enforcement and TPS and Parole Status Update](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221)

[Webinars: Employment Law "Hot Topics"](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=221)

The webinar covers how to deal with a worksite enforcement action and various types of immigration enforcement activities. The webinar also…

[Read more](https://wimlaw.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1583:worksite-enforcement-tps-parole&catid=221)

### Additional Legal Resources

[### Newsletter

Explore

 ](https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters)

[### Books

Explore

 ](https://wimlaw.com/publications/books)

[### Alerts

Explore

 ](https://wimlaw.com/alerts)

[### Articles

Explore

 ](https://wimlaw.com/articles)

[### Audits

Explore

 ](https://wimlaw.com/audits)

[### Events

Explore

 ](https://wimlaw.com/events)

## Schema

```json
{ "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://wimlaw.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Publications", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Newsletters", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Union Approval at 57-year High", "item": "https://wimlaw.com/publications/newsletters/union-approval" } ] }
```