Chicago's Cook County Jail went on lockdown Tuesday because too many guards called off

This is how public-sector unions destroy government workplaces.

From the Chicago Tribune:

A lockdown was lifted Tuesday afternoon at Cook County Jail after the jail was placed on lockdown, restricting the movement of inmates, when 18 percent of workers on the day shift did not make it to work, officials said.

The 142 correctional officers gave reasons ranging from illness and family issues to the weather for not showing up for the 7 a.m.-to-3 p.m. shift, according to Cara Smith, a spokeswoman for the Cook County sheriff's office. The lockdown was lifted after staff numbers returned to normal Tuesday afternoon, according to the sheriff's public information office's Twitter account.

As for the weather, it was in the single digits early this morning--but it can get a lot colder in Chicago in January. And yes it also snowed--but we had only two inches of the white stuff last night and today.

But here's the best part:

On an average Tuesday first shift, about 83 of 794 workers take the day off, Smith said.

That's more than ten percent of the guard workforce.

On average.Of course these guards were paid. By whom? Cook County taxpayers such as myself.

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