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  • May, 2013

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    Better or worse off with stronger unions

    Q. Overall, would workers be better off or worse off if unions in Australia were stronger?

    10 Sept 12

    Total

    20 May 13

    Vote Labor

    Vote Lib/Nat

    Vote Greens

    Work full time

    Work part time

    Total better off

    39%

    43%

    65%

    28%

    61%

    43%

    44%

    Total worse off

    30%

    29%

    11%

    50%

    10%

    32%

    28%

    A lot better off

    13%

    14%

    23%

    7%

    26%

    15%

    14%

    A little better off

    26%

    29%

    42%

    21%

    35%

    28%

    30%

    A little worse off

    15%

    14%

    9%

    19%

    9%

    15%

    16%

    A lot worse off

    15%

    15%

    2%

    31%

    1%

    17%

    12%

    Make no difference

    15%

    12%

    10%

    12%

    16%

    13%

    11%

    Don’t know

    15%

    14%

    13%

    10%

    12%

    12%

    17%

    The perception that workers would be better off with stronger unions has increased since this question was asked in September last year. 43% (up 4%)  felt that workers would be better off if unions in Australia were stronger and 29% (down 1%) that believed workers would be worse off.

    By voting intention, 65% of Labor voters and 61% of Greens voters believed that workers would be better off while Coalition voters were by far the most likely to believe that workers would be worse off (50%).

    51% of respondents on incomes of $600-$1,000pw thought that workers would be better off with stronger unions.

  • Dec, 2011

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    Membership of Organisations

    Q. Which of the following types of organisations have you ever been a member of?

    Q. Which of the following types of organisations are you currently a member of?

    Q. And which of the following types of organisations have you joined in the last 12 months?

    Ever been a member Currently a member Joined in last 12 months
    Trade union 34% 9% 2%
    Professional organization 28% 13% 3%
    Environment group 9% 4% 2%
    Religion/church 31% 13% 2%
    Book club 14% 4% 1%
    Service organisation like Rotary, Lions, Apex, etc 9% 4% 1%
    School organisation e.g. parents club, school council 22% 4% 2%
    Sports club 38% 17% 6%
    Political party 6% 1% *
    Local community group 21% 11% 3%
    Special interest or hobby group e.g. gardening, birdwatching, chess, etc 20% 10% 3%
    Other organisation 9% 6% 1%
    Total members 81% 56% 20%

    56% say they are currently members of an organisation and 20% say they have joined an organisation in the last 12 months. The most popular types of organisations are sports clubs (17% members) religions/churches (13%) and professional organisations (13%). Membership of organisations is slightly lower for those aged under 35 (53%) and a little higher for those aged 55+ (58%). 59% of men and 53% of women say they are members of an organisation.

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