Attitudes to Trade Unions 1975-2014
Q I am going to read out some statements relating to trade unions. For each one, please tell me from this card, how strongly you agree or disagree with it?
Q I am going to read out some statements relating to trade unions. For each one, please tell me from this card, how strongly you agree or disagree with it?
"Trade union leaders are out of touch with their members"
All adults | TU members | |||||
Agree | Disagree | Net | Agree | Disagree | Net | |
% | % | % | % | % | ±% | |
August 1993 | 45 | 22 | +23 | 48 | 30 | +18 |
August 1994 | 42 | 27 | +15 | 38 | 41 | -3 |
August 1995 | 41 | 26 | +15 | 42 | 35 | +7 |
"Trade unions would have too much power under a Labour government"
All adults | TU members | |||||
Agree | Disagree | Net | Agree | Disagree | Net | |
% | % | % | % | % | ±% | |
February 1992 | 53 | 35 | +18 | 40 | 50 | -10 |
March 1992 | 50 | 41 | +9 | 43 | 51 | -8 |
August 1994 | 37 | 39 | -2 | 25 | 57 | -32 |
August 1995 | 34 | 42 | -8 | 26 | 57 | -31 |
February 2014 | 42 | 37 | +5 |
"Trade unions have too much power in Britain today"
All adults | TU members | |||||
Agree | Disagree | Net | Agree | Disagree | Net | |
% | % | % | % | % | ±% | |
October 1975 | 75 | 16 | +59 | 65 | 28 | +37 |
August 1977 | 79 | 17 | +62 | 68 | 27 | +41 |
September 1978 | 82 | 16 | +66 | 73 | 25 | +48 |
September 1979 | 80 | 16 | +64 | 69 | 28 | +41 |
July 1980 | 72 | 19 | +53 | 58 | 31 | +27 |
November 1981 | 70 | 22 | +48 | 58 | 31 | +27 |
August 1982 | 71 | 21 | +50 | 62 | 34 | +28 |
August 1983 | 68 | 25 | +43 | 56 | 39 | +17 |
August 1984 | 68 | 24 | +44 | 55 | 37 | +18 |
February 1985 | n/a | n/a | 40 | 45 | -5 | |
November 1985 | n/a | n/a | 42 | 41 | +1 | |
August 1987 | n/a | n/a | 31 | 51 | -20 | |
August 1989 | 41 | 42 | -1 | 26 | 62 | -36 |
Dec 1989-Jan 1990 | 35 | 54 | -19 | 15 | 75 | -60 |
August 1990 | 38 | 45 | -7 | 22 | 66 | -40 |
February 1992 | 27 | 64 | -37 | 14 | 82 | -68 |
December 1992 | 24 | 56 | -32 | 16 | 71 | -55 |
August 1993 | 26 | 55 | -29 | 17 | 70 | -53 |
August 1994 | 26 | 56 | -30 | 7 | 79 | -72 |
August 1995 | 24 | 57 | -33 | 14 | 73 | -59 |
June 2011 | 35 | 52 | -17 | |||
July 2013 | 35 | 50 | -15 | |||
February 2014 | 29 | 54 | -25 | |||
January 2017 | 36 | 45 | -9 |
"Most trade unions are controlled by extremists and militants"
All adults | TU members | |||||
Agree | Disagree | Net | Agree | Disagree | Net | |
% | % | % | % | % | ±% | |
October 1975 | 64 | 20 | +44 | 56 | 37 | +19 |
August 1977 | 66 | 21 | +45 | 58 | 33 | +25 |
September 1978 | 60 | 30 | +30 | 57 | 39 | +18 |
September 1979 | 67 | 24 | +43 | 59 | 35 | +24 |
July 1980 | 70 | 20 | +50 | 55 | 34 | +21 |
November 1981 | 61 | 22 | +39 | 55 | 30 | +25 |
August 1982 | 65 | 23 | +42 | 64 | 30 | +34 |
August 1984 | 64 | 24 | +40 | 55 | 35 | +20 |
November 1985 | n/a | n/a | 43 | 36 | +7 | |
August 1987 | n/a | n/a | 48 | 35 | +13 | |
August 1989 | 54 | 26 | +28 | 43 | 42 | +1 |
August 1990 | 50 | 30 | +20 | 43 | 44 | -1 |
December 1992 | 34 | 42 | -8 | 26 | 56 | -30 |
August 1993 | 35 | 40 | -5 | 28 | 55 | -27 |
August 1994 | 30 | 47 | -17 | 19 | 68 | -49 |
August 1995 | 31 | 45 | -14 | 23 | 61 | -38 |
July 2013 | 23 | 60 | -37 | |||
January 2017 | 25 | 56 | -31 |
"Trade unions are essential to protect workers' interests"
All adults | TU members | |||||
Agree | Disagree | Net | Agree | Disagree | Net | |
% | % | % | % | % | ±% | |
October 1975 | 73 | 15 | +58 | 88 | 6 | +82 |
August 1977 | 75 | 18 | +57 | 85 | 11 | +74 |
September 1978 | 78 | 16 | +62 | 87 | 11 | +76 |
September 1979 | 80 | 16 | +64 | 88 | 10 | +78 |
July 1980 | 72 | 16 | +56 | 90 | 6 | +84 |
November 1981 | 73 | 16 | +57 | 85 | 6 | +81 |
August 1982 | 71 | 21 | +50 | n/a | n/a | |
August 1983 | 77 | 16 | +61 | 89 | 8 | +81 |
August 1984 | 71 | 18 | +59 | 86 | 9 | +77 |
February 1985 | n/a | n/a | 91 | 5 | +86 | |
November 1985 | n/a | n/a | 76 | 12 | +64 | |
August 1987 | n/a | n/a | 88 | 5 | +83 | |
March 1989 | 72 | 17 | +55 | 81 | 11 | +70 |
August 1989 | 77 | 12 | +65 | 91 | 7 | +84 |
Dec 1989-Jan 1990 | 69 | 21 | +48 | 85 | 10 | +75 |
August 1990 | 80 | 11 | +69 | 90 | 7 | +83 |
February 1992 | 81 | 14 | +67 | 93 | 6 | +87 |
December 1992 | 74 | 12 | +62 | 86 | 9 | +77 |
August 1993 | 80 | 10 | +70 | 92 | 4 | +88 |
August 1994 | 82 | 10 | +72 | 93 | 6 | +87 |
August 1995 | 79 | 10 | +69 | 88 | 4 | +84 |
June 2011 | 76 | 15 | +61 | |||
July 2013 | 78 | 14 | +64 | |||
February 2014 | 77 | 14 | +63 | |||
January 2017 | 77 | 12 | +65 |
"The Labour Party should not be so closely linked to the trade unions"
All adults | TU members | |||||
Agree | Disagree | Net | Agree | Disagree | Net | |
% | % | % | % | % | ±% | |
October 1977 | 67 | 22 | +45 | 57 | 34 | +23 |
September 1978 | 63 | 27 | +36 | 60 | 35 | +25 |
August 1987 | n/a | n/a | 52 | 34 | +18 | |
September 1994 | 55 | 24 | +31 | 48 | 36 | +12 |
August 1995 | 50 | 24 | +26 | 45 | 30 | +16 |
July 2013 | 53 | 28 | +25 | |||
January 2017 | 48 | 30 | +18 |