We Think

Most voters still back striking workers despite disruption

Jul. 14

‘23

By: Mike Underwood

Topics:

A new Omnisis poll shows that more than half of Brits still back striking workers despite two-in-five people saying they’ve been disrupted by strikes.

The pollsters found that 58% of voters said they support striking public sector workers, with 30% saying they don’t. Only 12% saying they didn’t know.

Support public sector strikes

Oppose public sector strikes

Don't know

This majority support comes despite 39% of people saying their lives have been or will be disrupted by strikes. 56% said the strikes had made no impact with only 4% saying they didn’t know.

I've been affected by strikes

I've not been affected by strikes

Don't know

The latest poll also showed the public believes the reason behind the strikes is mainly through necessity (62%), with a quarter of people (26%) saying greed and 12% didn’t know.

Meanwhile more than two thirds of voters (68%) said the Government had not done all it could to avoid the strikes, with only 20% believing they had and 12% said they didn’t know.

And finally, as Rishi Sunak announced a 6% public sector pay rise, without raising budgets, voters were asked if they felt this was appropriate. Nearly half (47%) agreed it was, 31% disagreed and 22% didn’t know.

Labour proposal to combat conflict of interest

This week, the Labour Party proposed a ban on ministers taking lobbying jobs related to their former briefs for up to five years. Omnisis asked if voters agreed or disagreed with this policy proposal.