Public sector unions have always seemed iffy to me. They put a lot of money into the political process, and unlike issues with competing interests there's real

Public sector unions have always seemed iffy to me. They put a lot of money into the political process, and unlike issues with competing interests there's really nobody on the other side, so they usually get their way. It's a case concentrated benefits and diffuse costs. In California politicians don't cross the public sector unions, because the unions provide money for poltical campaigns. Schwartzenegger tried to reign them in and was pretty much mortally wounded in political terms.