Years before he was a potential 2020 presidential candidate, Beto O’Rourke was a city council member in El Paso — and a leading voice in a high-profile battle with unions representing police and firefighters.

At the height of the conflict, O’Rourke publicly mused about disbanding the police union, calling it “out of control” and lamenting his colleagues’ unwillingness to stand up to the powerful political force. A year later, he was calling for “better checks on collective bargaining in the public sector.”

Source: The Union Fight That Defined Beto O’Rourke’s City Council Days