Rather than getting seen as a way to protect the social safety net and the dignity of work, the story in the 80s and 90s became unions were just a special interest group that was dragging down the productivity of the US economy. Same thing happened in England under Thatcher.

The Middle-class bought this line because there was a 1)general fatigue with Democratic/Left-wing ideas, 2)mid class and working increasingly lived in different neighborhoods/social spheres/regions of the country 3) we were getting 3% gdp growth again under the reagan recovery