Believe me, I'm not asking you to explain the union mindset. It just seems to me that they're shooting themselves, and the rest of us, in our collective foot.
“But don’t the younger members understand that they’ll end up on the public option, with less benes and more cost in the form of taxes?”
The problem is the disconnect between the union members and the union leadership. It’s not unlike the disconnect between congress and their constituents who are demanding to not pass this plan. Many of the union rank and file oppose this, but the leadership tells them its “for their own good.”
In reality, it’s likely that it will be passed to allow the unions to avoid scrutiny of the malfeasance surrounding their deplorable handling of pension funds. I believe this is why Pelosi et al blew a gasket when the possibility of omitting the “public option” was floated. No Public Option - no Union Pension Rescue.
Of course, if this fails, they’ll find some other way to “bail out” the pension - but it will “look bad”.