Perhaps it’s just a coincidence. Then again, perhaps not. However, at the same time AFL-CIO boss Richard Trumka went to New Jersey on Friday for a “solidarity” rally, a group of unionized bus drivers who transport developmentally disabled and critically ill patients decided to abandon their duties and stage a sick out.

Monmouth County transportation employees staged a sickout Friday that left 174 developmentally disabled clients waiting for a bus that never came and county officials scrambling to get critically ill patients to their dialysis appointments.

William K. Heine, a county spokesman, confirmed that two-thirds of workers did not come to work. Of those 25 workers, eight had a pre-approved day off. The others — 14 bus drivers and three office workers — called in sick.

[snip]

[County spokesman] Heine said he didn’t know the reason for the sickout at SCAT, which originally stood for Special Citizens Area Transportation. The unionized work force is not in the midst of contract negotiations, nor is there any apparent problems in the office that provides transportation services for developmentally disabled residents who need to get to their employment centers, senior citizens and seriously ill people who need help getting to dialysis treatments and other medical appointments.

Kevin Tauro, president of Communications Workers of America Local 1038, which represents the SCAT employees, could not be reached for comment. [Emphasis added.]

Hopefully, Monmouth County offcials will be conducting a thorough investigation because, if the unionized drivers opted to join the union rally, as opposed to doing their jobs transporting patients, their actions are reprehensible and they should be fired.

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“I bring reason to your ears, and, in language as plain as ABC, hold up truth to your eyes.” Thomas Paine, December 23, 1776

X-posted.