The majority of UK adults believe this week's national rail strikes are justified, according to a new opinion poll. A survey showed 58% of the 2,300 people questioned by Savanta ComRes gave this response when asked about the industrial action.
The figure was lower (37%) in a YouGov poll also released this afternoon (Tuesday). In the Savanta ComRes survey, younger adults aged 18-34 (72%) and Labour voters (79%) were more likely to see the strikes as justified compared to their older, aged 55+, (44%) and Conservative-voting (38%) counterparts.
Three out of five of those polled said they are generally supportive of the principle of industrial action, while just 35% were generally opposed. Two-thirds said the Government has not done enough to avoid the strikes, while 61% say the same of Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, reports PA.
Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta ComRes, said: “Much has been made of whether or not the public support these strikes, and our polling, that included an explanation of the dispute rather than an uninformed test of perceptions, shows a majority finding justification in the decision of rail workers to strike, along with general support for the principle of workers striking. What will be interesting over the coming days is to what extent the public mood changes.
"Fieldwork here was conducted before the strike began. After a week of coverage of likely disruption, will the public be as sympathetic?
“And what impact will that have on those other unions threatening to ballot their members over a pay deal nowhere near in line with high inflation? These issues are just more things to give this Government a headache as it heads towards a summer where the rising cost of living will have further negative consequences.”
A separate poll of 2,516 adults, published by YouGov on Tuesday afternoon, suggested only 37% of people were supportive of the rail transport workers striking this week, while 45% said they opposed it. However, the YouGov figures also revealed a divide between age groups.
Two-thirds, or 66%, of those over 65 opposed the action, while almost half, 48%, of those aged between 18 and 24 supported it.
The poll also suggested a strong political split in support for the strike. Two-thirds, 65%, of those who voted Labour in 2019 said that they supported the strike action, compared to just 18% of those who voted Conservative.
In terms of the impact of travel disruption, just under a fifth (18%) reported experiencing changed or impacted journeys, while 76% said they had not. And three in five, 60%, also said they were opposed to suggestions of closing manned ticket offices at most railway stations.
