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ITV News Index

Methodology: ComRes interviewed 2,025 British adults online between 6th September and 8th September 2013.  Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults aged 18+. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

Date Published: 09 Sep 2013

Categories: Economy | Politics | Public and communities | Third Sector | UK

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COMRES/ ITV NEWS POLL:  BRITONS BACK UNIONS BUT 68% WANT THEM OUT OF POLITICS

The latest Index poll conducted by ComRes for ITV News reveals that while the British public appears to be generally supportive of trade unions, two thirds (68%)believe trade unions should spend more time supporting people in the workplace, rather than getting involved in national politics. Just 12% disagree and 20% are not sure.
 
More than half of the British public (56%) believe that trade unions are good at standing up for the interests of ordinary working people, whilst only one in five (20%) disagree and one in four (24%) are not sure.
 
Twice as many people think that, overall, trade unions are good for Britain (49%), than the number who disagree that this is the case (22%). 30% don’t know.
 
Interestingly, the public is split on whether the unions have too much say over what happens in Britain, with exactly the same proportion agreeing (36%) as disagreeing (36%) that this is the case.
 
There is little difference between trust towards unions and big business – one third agree (32%) that trade unions are more trustworthy than big business, one third disagree (33%) and one third don’t know (36%)
 
Looking at the relationship between trade unions and individuals, two in five Britons (38%) say trade unions represent the views of “people like me”, while one third (34%) say this is not the case and the 28% say they do not know.
 
However, it seems the trade union movement does appear to have trouble communicating its message to younger people. Those aged 18-24 are three times as likely as those aged 65+ to say they do not really understand what it is that trade unions do (39% and 13% respectively).
 
Full results:
 
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
 
 Statement
Agree
Disagree
Don’t know
NET
Trade unions should spend more time supporting people in the workplace, and less time getting involved in national politics
68%
12%
20%
+56
Trade unions are good at standing up for the interests of ordinary working people
56%
20%
24%
+36
Overall, trade unions are good for Britain
49%
22%
30%
+27
Trade unions have too much say over what happens in Britain
36%
36%
28%
-
Trade unions are more trustworthy than big business
32%
33%
36%
-1
 
Do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements?
 
 Statement
Agree
Disagree
Don’t know
NET
Trade unions represent the views of people like me
38%
34%
28%
+4
I would never join a trade union
25%
47%
27%
-22
I don’t really understand what it is that trade unions do
24%
62%
14%
-38
 
Methodology: ComRes interviewed 2,025 British adults online between 6th September and 8th September 2013.  Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults aged 18+. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules.

 

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