The Deciders April 2024: Michigan Voters in Union Households

Key Takeaways

Strong union ties don’t affect the views of union-affiliated Michigan voters as much as other factors, like religion and parenthood
Though Trump isn’t seen as pro-union, some of these Michigan voters support him because they believe he’s pro-worker
These voters have concerns about the U.S. economy, especially the cost of housing. They offered ideas for government programs that could help make housing more affordable

In the 2024 election, voters from key demographic groups will help decide who the country’s next president will be. Leading up to the November election, The Deciders series spotlights some of those groups and their thoughts on the candidates and current events. The initiative is a partnership between Sago, Engagious, NBC News and Syracuse University’s Institute for Democracy, Journalism, and Citizenship.

On April 2, The Deciders checked in with 15 Michigan voters who live in union-affiliated households. During focus groups, these voters talked about Joe Biden and Donald Trump, labor unions, and the state of the U.S. economy.

What Influences Union-Affiliated Michigan Voters

Among the 15 Michigan voters, nine were Democrats and six were Republican. These voters all come from union families, but union ties aren’t the deciding factor when it comes to their votes. Here’s what they said about their voting influences:

“I would say being a parent and also being an educator, providing, and sacrificing everything to make sure that my students and my child succeed.”

“Being a conservative Christian.”

“I think just growing up with a strong Democratic family is probably the biggest factor, for me, in what shaped my voting preferences.”

“I would say being a parent, you know, being a mom, being a woman and being middle class is what fuels my vote, mostly.”

Which Candidate Would Get Their Votes

None of the 15 Michigan voters believe that Trump’s policies are pro-union. Still, six of the focus group members plan to vote for Trump in November.

Here’s what some of them said:

“He’s a Republican. He’s about making money. He’s about work, getting things done. That’s what Republicans do. Well, if there’s work there and you’re in the union, you’re making more money when you’re working.”

“I do like a lot of stuff that Trump does, but I don’t know if he helps our union workers … I think Trump as a whole can do more for our country.”

“Because I think he’s pro-worker. I think he knows how to get jobs out there … This taxing the rich and everything, that’s all great, except for the rich are the ones that provide the jobs. If you tax them too much, they’re going to go to another country and there will be no jobs.”

“I think he’s more about the worker, workers as a whole, not just the union.”

How the Michigan Voters Feel about Unions

President Biden is seen as more pro-union than Trump. However, some of the Michigan voters were critical of unions, even though they live in union-affiliated households. These views could hurt Biden at the polls.

For example, one participant taught Spanish and French and was paid at the top of the scale. She worked for the same school district for 14 years, but when she needed the union, she said it wasn’t there for her.

“Then, I was suddenly told I was going to be part-time and they gave my job to a young teacher who’s being paid, you know, peanuts and nobody saved my job,” she said. She got a job at another school district, but at a much lower pay rate.

Here’s what else the focus group participants had to say about unions:

“Well, the union sold the workers out years ago, even before any of these presidents was in office. They let the big corporations come in and feed them a handful of crap.”

“It just doesn’t promote good work ethic anymore. You have people that just don’t do their job and they are still protected.”

“From my husband, he always talks about the same thing, preferential treatment to certain people.”

The State of the Economy

While economists are currently seeing positive indicators regarding the U.S. economy, not all the focus group participants shared this optimistic view. Eight of the 15 Michigan voters said the U.S. economy is in lousy shape. Only two of them believe things are better today than they were a year ago.

Some of the factors influencing the group’s perceptions include high prices, car shortages, unaffordable housing and people needing to work two jobs to stay afloat.

Making Housing More Affordable

When asked to identify one of the biggest economic issues facing the U.S., all 15 Michigan voters said the cost of housing. However, they had ideas about how both federal and state governments could help make housing more affordable. Here’s some of what they had to say:

“I just think interest rates need to drop. I mean, that’s one of the biggest sticking points right now.”

“Putting a cap on the amount they can charge for rent.”

“Subsidies for first-time homebuyers that are easily accessible and then rent protection, stronger laws for current renters.”

“I’d like to see loans for non-first-time homebuyers. I understand they want to help people with those, too, but what about the people who have to relocate and to move?”

“I think they should lower the property tax. When you lower the property tax, you can lower the rent. It’s all tied in together.”

For more on the thoughts of key demographic groups during this year’s presidential election, stay tuned for The Deciders future check-ins with voters.