Auto bailout's death seen as a Republican blow at unions

Reporting from Washington — The congressional drive to help U.S. automakers was generally cast in terms of protecting the reeling national economy from another body blow -- the collapse of one or more of Detroit's Big Three.

But beneath the surface, what led conservative Republicans to drive a stake through the heart of a stopgap rescue plan worked out by President Bush and congressional Democrats was the chance to strike a blow against an old enemy: organized labor.

Antipathy toward unions was an undercurrent throughout the weeks of wrangling that culminated in Thursday's failed Senate vote. For Republicans -- including many from right-to-work states across the South -- undercutting the once-mighty United Auto Workers was seen as a way to undercut unions in general.

"If the UAW, which is perceived as one of the strongest unions in the country, can be put under control, that may send a message across the whole country," said Michigan State University professor Richard Block, a labor relations expert.

Handing a defeat to labor and its Democratic allies in Congress was also seen as a preemptive strike in what is expected to be a major legislative battle when the new Congress convenes in January: the unions' bid for a so-called "card check" law that would make it easier for them to organize workers, potentially reversing decades of declining power. The measure is strongly opposed by business groups.

"This is the Democrats' first opportunity to pay off organized labor after the election. This is a precursor to card check and other items," read an e-mail circulated among Senate Republicans on Wednesday. "Republicans should stand firm and take their first shot against organized labor, instead of taking their first blow from it."

Some lawmakers argued that stopping the bailout would strike a blow at unions in general.

"Year after year, union bosses have put their interests ahead of the workers they claim to represent," said Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) one of the leading opponents of the auto bailout. "Congress never should have given these unions this much power, and now is the time to fix it."

Labor politics played a role on the Democratic side too, of course. In fighting hard for the $14-billion bailout, they were fighting for one of their most loyal supporters. The UAW, which represents about 150,000 employees of the Big Three, delivered campaign contributions and foot soldiers that helped elect Barack Obama to the presidency, especially in crucial battleground states such as Michigan and Ohio.