It was Samantha Henry害羞草研究所檚 first time on strike, and one that made headlines across the country.

害羞草研究所淪ome people thought the strike would only last a week, a couple of days. And we went into almost five weeks,害羞草研究所� said Henry, one of some 3,700 Metro employees in the Toronto area who walked off the job this summer.

In previous rounds of bargaining that didn害羞草研究所檛 lead to strikes, Henry says public feedback over workers害羞草研究所� demands was often negative.

害羞草研究所淚t was all like 害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所榃hat do you expect? She害羞草研究所檚 a retail worker.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

This summer felt different. People, including many regular Metro customers, joined workers on picket lines, promised to boycott Metro-owned stores, honked car horns as they drove past and brought gift cards, coffee and snacks.

害羞草研究所淚 think I ate more doughnuts and Timbits than I ever have in my entire life,害羞草研究所� joked Henry.

She thinks the pandemic helped open people害羞草研究所檚 eyes to how essential retail workers are, noting that many regular customers were irate when grocery stores took workers害羞草研究所� 害羞草研究所渉ero pay害羞草研究所� away. But that害羞草研究所檚 not the whole story. Inflation and rising interest rates have eaten into everyone害羞草研究所檚 bottom line, and Henry thinks customers are more aligned with the plight of lower-paid workers as a result.

害羞草研究所淚 think that the sympathy for striking workers is being driven by an affordability crisis that has hit all workers, regardless of union status,害羞草研究所� said Larry Savage, a professor in the labour studies department at Brock University.

According toanalytics firm Gallup, U.S. approval of unions is at its highest point in more than 50 years.

Union support is harder to measure in Canada because it害羞草研究所檚 not regularly tracked, but people on the front lines of strikes and those who study labour agree that public sympathy for strikes is stronger than usual here, too.

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A recent poll by the Angus Reid Institute suggested that union support in Canada is relatively high, though it害羞草研究所檚 hard to contextualize the results without a previous record to compare with, said Adam King, an assistant professor in the labour studies department at the University of Manitoba.

But support for the high-profile Metro strike illustrated that union messaging is hitting home for many Canadians, he said: 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 been a public spotlight on the profits of the grocery sector and the fact that food price inflation continues to outstrip overall inflation. So there害羞草研究所檚 something really kind of visceral and personal about that.害羞草研究所�

Labour experts in Canada usually have to rely on polls about individual labour disputes to gauge public sentiment, and these vary, said Savage.

Historically, unions had a negative public image in part because ofthe disruption strikes can cause, he said. One memorable example is the 2009 strike by City of Toronto workers that notably affected garbage collection.

Public support varies because it often hinges on the nature of the strike, said Savage. It害羞草研究所檚 easier for the average citizen to support a strike that doesn害羞草研究所檛 directly affect them than one they can害羞草研究所檛 ignore 害羞草研究所� like if their flight to Hawaii is cancelled, or if the summer air is heavy with the smell of hot garbage.

But in more recent polls on individual disputes, Savage said he害羞草研究所檚 been surprised by the level of support.

For example, an Abacus poll on the dispute between the Ontario government and education workers last year showed more Ontarians blamed the government, not workers, for the dispute. Almost half said they would support other unions walking off the job in solidarity.

Months later, when 155,000 federal government workers under the Public Service Alliance of Canada went on strike, an Angus Reid Institute poll showed strong support for almost every union demand, noted Savage.

害羞草研究所淵ou don害羞草研究所檛 typically see that level of sympathy for public-sector workers,害羞草研究所� he said.

Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said she害羞草研究所檚 also noticed a shift at picket lines and rallies across the country.

害羞草研究所淭he level of public support and understanding of the need to strike 害羞草研究所� is higher than it害羞草研究所檚 been in many, many years,害羞草研究所� she said.

In the private sector, the general public has little sympathy for giant, profitable corporations, a feeling that害羞草研究所檚 been heightened in recent years and that Unifor exploited successfully against Metro, Savage said.

Support from both the national union and the broader community can help get a bargaining committee over the line, said Mario Moceri, a national service staff representative with Unifor who supported around 250 workers at the Windsor Salt Mine in a seven-month dispute this year, leading to a deal ratified in late August.

It also helps send a message to the employer amid negotiations, said Moceri: 害羞草研究所淚 think they knew we were in this for the long haul.害羞草研究所�

In some cases, public support is really important for successful bargaining, said King, while in other disputes it matters less.

害羞草研究所淏ut what I think is really just encouraging over the last little while is that public support is on side, even in cases where it looks like it would be less consequential,害羞草研究所� he said.

Savage said public support can help keep spirits high on the picket line.

害羞草研究所淭here is nothing worse than a worker on a picket line who害羞草研究所檚 being spat on and told that they害羞草研究所檙e greedy, and to get back to work. That can have a very demoralizing effect on people.害羞草研究所�

Public support plays a heightened role in public-sector bargaining, because it害羞草研究所檚 taxpayer money on the line, said Savage. Talks often come down to disagreements over things like classroom sizes and transit regularity.

害羞草研究所淭hat kind of public support is key in public-sector labour relations, because governments pay a political price for precipitating a strike and disrupting services that people rely on.害羞草研究所�

But the public害羞草研究所檚 heightened support of striking workers isn害羞草研究所檛 something unions can count on to last, said Savage.

害羞草研究所淭here is this real window of opportunity, and it害羞草研究所檚 not going to be there forever,害羞草研究所� he said.

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Rosa Saba, The Canadian Press