Union membership, by and large, are not thugs. But when the membership in the union becomes mandatory, as it was with many state and local government offices throughout Wisconsin, then the thugs get into control, and use the fear and intimidation tactics to keep the membership in line. The rare instances when an internal reform candidate attempts to challenge the established thugs, bad things happen to him, his family, and his reputation, and the unfortunate one is chased from what should have been a secure position. Not by management, but by supposed peers.
Truly a Wild West situation, where the toughest outlaw of all was made sheriff, to keep the other thugs in line, but also resist any attempts at reform by the non-thug populace.
Lots of times, unions use hired guns rather than rank and file. When I was union, we never talked about politics in our shop. You also have to separate urban from rural members along the usual lines.
Personally I think we need to drive a wedge between public and private sector unions. After all, public sector unions cost jobs both union and non union. There are obvious problems with private sector unions but nothing like the public sector. Besides, I’m not so sure public sector unions are quite constitutional.