Aren't union members also tax payers?

They do but government union workers get far more than most. I don't blame them for fighting to keep what they have, not to do so would be foolish, but most people pay into their health plans. There have been years not that long ago when my husband got a 2 or 3% raise but the rise in his payment to his health plan was higher than that. Technically, he took a pay cut in those years--even with the raise. It's time government workers, including teachers of which I am one, were forced to live in the real world.

Legislatures are supposed to make the decisions about how much pay and benefits the employees of government get. Labor unions exist when the workers decide that their employers are greedy and exploitative, and they need power to negotiate for more pay and benefits. Government worker's unions need to learn how to negotiate with the legislature -- the same way that all other citizens do. And when the union doesn't get its way -- they don't get what they want -- they need to learn to suck it up and live with the results, the same way all other citizens do.

Tax payers aren't going to fund my retirement and healthcare like the union members with their unsustainable pensions .

Their pensions are bankrupting the state and yet non-union people will suffer for it. Doesn't make sense to pay for people who work and people who no longer work.

My company pays us while we work there while matching our 401(k) contributions, Once we leave or retire, they no longer have to pay for us. They would go out of business if they continue to pay us after we retire.