When is a government employee not a government employee. "TRENTON Public labor union representatives granted paid leave or release to conduct union business cost taxpayers millions of dollars annually in salaries and benefits, according to a report issued today by the State Commission of Investigation. During the period 2006 through 2011, the commission found that government-paid union leave for public employees cost taxpayers more than $30 million in salaries and medical benefits." And $30,000,000 is just one state. And, it's not just salaries: "The commission found that some union officials have been on paid leave for years or even decades, while at the same time holding government jobs but doing no actual work for the taxpayers. In some cases, the commission said, taxpayers also shelled out for stipends, overtime, cars, office space, computers and other union equipment." And, lastly, transparency: "The report also found that the paid union arrangements were often crafted to keep the public in the dark. In some instances, they were authorized by contract sidebar agreements not easily discoverable by the public. In others, the leave is a matter of custom with no written authorization, the commission found." I don't doubt a lot of that $30,000,000 went back to various politicians. All unions are criminal enterprises but public employee unions are the most agregious because they're supposed to be working for us. Quit laughing, that isn't really funny.
