Even if they where what most people forget is it is not the unions who are receiving the bribes and kickbacks but the non-union politicians and the management people who are supposed to be looking out for the interest of the people or the company and it's stockholders.
There are lots of legitimate contractors who employee good hard working people both union and non-union who are told up front that unless they are willing to overcharge inflate cost, charge for goods and services not delivered, so they can kick back to management or politicians they will not get a contract to do business with the company or the government which ever the case.
It ain't the unions that are doing the big stealing in this country but the white collars on the inside where the money originates and who have access to and control the flow of it.
It is they who determine where the money ends up and it is they who scream the loudest about union corruption.
That's not the point.
The union vote is predictable...so long as rank and file union members are kept in the dark about "the big secret."
Should the rank and file learn "the big secret," however, then they won't go vote "the way that they are supposed to."
McGreevy threatens to expose that "big secret," so either McGreevy will meet with misfortune, or else he won't be investigated...
...Otherwise, the big secret might get out.