which is why in his first year, atlanta mayor kasim reed took a hatchet to the city's budget but still managed to add services as he cut. faced with an enormous shortfall in union pension obligations, he scaled back pensions for new workers to pre-2000 levels. with some of the savings, he hired more police officers and reopens recreation centers and swimming pools. on "meet the press" last week, he said he's not done. >> i think we're going to try to be a model so other governments can show it can be done and you can survive it. >> his strategy of cutting and then reinvesting has earned national recognition as unions across the country face a watershed in wisconsin from their early days of organizing coal miners, immortalized by singers like woody guthrie. ♪ i'm sticking to the union ♪ sticking to the union >> the groups were once a power house in politics, but today, labor unions' favorable ratings are at their lowest level in decades with less than half of americans having a positive view. and now in wisconsin, the very right to collective bargains is under attack. >> the turmoil cou