A recent Gallup poll found that starting in 2009, and for the first time in decades, public support for unions is at less than 50 percent. But the Center for American Progress (CAP) has taken a closer look at the data, and it may not be such bad news after all.

The fact is that when there are economic downturns, Americans tend to fault the most powerful institutions—namely the government, Wall Street, and unions—and public support for all of these groups declines when the economy falters.

In other words, it’s still about the economy, and Americans feeling cynical overall. As CAP noted, the data suggests that approval of unions will rise when the economy recovers. And, even during these tough economic times, the majority of Americans approve of the role unions play in helping workers and maintaining balance in the country’s workplaces.

If we highlight the critical, day-to-day ways in which unions ensure a better future for working families and for our economy, the American public will be on board. And there’s no better time to start than now. After all, we have an economy to rebuild.