rejected a government contract offer they went on strike. but that was not allowed under federal law and president regan fired them all. >> but we cannot compare are labor management relations in the private sector with government. government has to provide without interruption the protective services which are government's reason for being. >> it is not surprising public unions ally with democrats as providence rhode island fire department union president paul dowdy. >> if you look just generally at the republican party. they believe in a smaller government. as a government worker i don't know necessarily agree with that. >> by the 2* 2008 election, a former community organizer with long ties to one of the largest government employee unions of all -- >> i spent my entire adult life working with sciu.