Well sure, it's Cook County, but this story is really about state employees everywhere

Your tax dollars (not) at work

Prison guards call in sick, force jail lockdown

According to the Cook County Sheriff's Department, the number of officers missing for the 7am to 3pm shift amounted to 32 per cent of the guard staff assigned to 

Around 86 called in sick to explain their absence while 120 invoked the Family Medical Leave Act - the federal law that requires employers provide leave for some medical reasons.

Another 154 informed the jail they wouldn't be coming to work for the shift that starts later in the day.

This is not the first time that the Cook County Jail has had problems with officers calling in sick for either holidays or major sporting events. 

On last year's Mother's Day, 420 officers called in sick - prompting a lockdown.

Just a month later, more than 520 officers were absent on Father's Day and on the following Monday.

In May 2015, almost 640 correctional officers missed their shifts the same day that boxers Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao faced off.

This year, nearly 240 correctional officers called in sick February 5 - the same day as the Super Bowl.

The patron saint of the Progressives, FDR, vehemently opposed public workers unions, but even he couldn't stem the tide of state workers hijacking the public purse. What frosts my ass is that when all these gold-plated union pension plans go belly-up, federal taxpayers are going to be stuck with the bill.