One of our MI union members said he begged some of his co-workers to not vote for Sydner. It was likely a minority, but could have swayed the voter. They believed him when he said he would not do what he just did, during the campaign.
But history shows the GOP attacked labor for many years. Even if they had had the record of not attacking specfic unions, their political philosophy is against the social safety and upward mobility that unions work to create. Their allegiance to big business and profit, is incompatible with the interest of labor in principle.
Especially when taken to its extreme, as the GOP has. They have fought all regulations, including those that held employers in check. The media and churches unfortunately have literally made capitalism a religion whose tenets may not be questioned.
When it gets out of hand, and factories are closed for the profit of the shareholders and CEOs, the workers are shamed and pushed aside. The economic situation in Michigan is not the result of unions, but corporate greed. As Springsteen said in his song'Youngstown':
'Now sir you tell me the world's changed
Once I made you rich enough
Rich enough to forget my name'
The workers made these owners extremely wealthy. So rich they now think of themselves as kings, and should own everything. Michigan is in big trouble and they are working to extend this nationally. WI has won some victories in this, but we hear little from them now, although they are still working through the system to change things. The big money is up against us in a way that they haven't been able in over a hundred years and this is a very dangerous time for us.