THE majority of people in Wales support workers out on strike and blame the Tory government for the walkouts.

A YouGov survey for ITV Wales/Cardiff University showed that 63 per cent of those polled supported NHS workers’ action.

Some 55 per cent believe that the British government is to blame for health workers taking industrial action.

Unions have thanked the Welsh public for its continued support for strikes across the country.

Wales TUC general secretary Shavanah Taj said: “There’s no-one who hasn’t been hit in some way by the cost-of-living crisis.

“It’s no surprise that public support for strike action is strong — and we believe is growing stronger.

“It’s clear that the public recognise that workers aren’t to blame and that responsibility sits with bosses and the UK government.”

Royal College of Nursing Wales associate director of employment relations Nicky Hughes said: “They clapped us during the pandemic and now they are backing us.

“It’s very heartening to know that the public supports nurses and want the government held accountable for the upcoming strikes.

“The public are experiencing first-hand the realities of unsustainable workforce pressures, so it’s great to see that support and understanding reinforced in these survey results.”

However, the poll also found that only 38 per cent of the Welsh public supports strikes by civil servants.

National officer for Wales and the south-west Darren Williams said: “Our members have found, in conversations with friends, families and customers, that most people support civil servants in our strike action.

“Our members kept Wales running during the pandemic. People here know that and are grateful to civil servants, even if the Westminster government is not.”

Dr Jac Larner, from Cardiff University’s Welsh Governance Centre, believes that support for strikes depends on an “income spectrum.”

He said: “With people who are perceived to be earning more, there’s less support for those people to go out on strike.

“But also when we asked about barristers and civil servants, a lot of people just didn't know. 

“So it might be the case that if people were more aware of this kind of strike action, there may be more support, whereas almost everyone we asked was aware of strike action happening for NHS staff, for example.”