Aren't union members also tax payers?

They do but government union workers get far more than most. I don't blame them for fighting to keep what they have, not to do so would be foolish, but most people pay into their health plans. There have been years not that long ago when my husband got a 2 or 3% raise but the rise in his payment to his health plan was higher than that. Technically, he took a pay cut in those years--even with the raise. It's time government workers, including teachers of which I am one, were forced to live in the real world.