Fostering Solidarity: How Labor Protests Can Engender Sympathy for Workers

This research project examines how labor organizations can win public support for striking workers amid varying perceptions of public- and private-sector strikes. Despite narratives of union decline, recent global strike activity underscores the importance of public sympathy in securing workers’ demands. We investigate how pro- and anti-labor media messages shape public opinion regarding labor protest actions in Mexico. We contrast grievance-based frames (positive) with frames emphasizing the economic and social disruption caused by mobilizations (negative). We hypothesize that grievance-based messages resonate more strongly with the public in the context of private-sector strikes than in public-sector strikes, where perceptions are shaped by historical legacies of neoliberal reforms. Our study also differentiates between strikes targeting domestic firms and those directed at multinational corporations (MNCs), anticipating greater public support for the latter due to widespread associations of exploitation with MNCs.