Ahead of Labor Day, Gallup polls Americans on immigration, unions, job satisfaction

NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller sits down for his weekly conversation with Gallup’s Frank Newport to talk about trends in U.S. opinion.

Trump made his dramatic trip to Mexico on Wednesday, then delivered a long speech on immigration in Arizona. Americans taken as a whole are opposed to massive deportation of those in this country illegally, opposed to building a wall, and favor a pathway to citizenship.

The average American also wants the current level of immigration to stay the same or to be increased. Only Republicans and conservatives want immigration to be decreased.

We’re coming up now on Labor Day, a good time to review American attitudes towards labor unions. Only nine percent of Americans are members of unions, down from as high as 35 percent in the 1950s. But a majority of Americans are positive about unions, and a majority both think that unions help the U.S. economy and also help the companies that are unionized.

Attitudes towards unions are very politically polarized among average Americans. Clinton actively supports unions and she views unions as a way to decrease income inequality. Trump has been courting union members.

And talking about all workers (not just those who are unionized) new data show that workers have actually become more satisfied with their jobs in recent years.

Workers are most satisfied with physical safety, relations with coworkers, flexibility of hours and job security.

Workers are least satisfied with the tangible aspects of their work; benefits, pay, retirement plan, and stress, which is actually at the bottom of the list.