Essential Report

Attitudes towards unions

Dec 10, 2019

Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about unions?

	NET: Agree	NET: Disagree	Strongly agree	Somewhat agree	Somewhat disagree	Strongly disagree	Unsure
Union officials should be disqualified for breaching administrative laws such as failing to file annual financial reports	68%	18%	30%	38%	13%	5%	14%
The government seems to be more concerned about the actions of union officials than the CEO’s of banks and other corporations	62%	24%	29%	34%	18%	6%	14%
Union officials should be disqualified for taking unprotected industrial action, such as snap strikes	51%	32%	20%	31%	22%	10%	17%
Overall unions have too much power in Australia today	49%	37%	18%	31%	24%	13%	14%

Two-thirds of participants agree that ‘union officials should be disqualified for breaching administrative laws such as failing to file annual financial reports’ (68%) and 62% agree that the government seems to be more concerned about the actions of union officials than the CEO’s of banks and other corporations.
Half of participants agree that union officials should be disqualified for taking unprotected industrial action, such as snap strikes (51%) and 49% agree that overall unions have too much power in Australia today.
Capital city residents are more likely than non-capital city residents to agree that overall unions have too much power in Australia today, with 53% of capital city and 41% of non-capital city residents agreeing with the statement.
Broadly, Coalition voters and those over 55 years old were most likely to agree with statements that are more negative towards unions.

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