The 300,000-member [IAFF] is an influential force in politics. Candidates seek out the union’s valuable endorsement so they can use it in campaign ads and hold press events where they are flanked by uniformed firefighters. . .

Many GOP officials — and even some Democrats — blamed generous wage and pension benefits in union contracts for creating budget shortfalls.

See 11/21/11 article by Angela Wittrock of mlive.com.