"he'd get $400 a week in unemployment. It seems that in our state union employees didn't have to look for non-union work. If the union didn't call, the unemployment check was a certainty. But the phone stayed off the hook all winter to make sure the union couldn't call anyway. He wasn't idle, though; he worked "under the table" all winter doing side jobs tax-free while collecting unemployment."
Gaming the system and milking the taxpayer is fast becoming a cultural thing in this country and this mentality is more of a problem the then the Unions themselves.
Here is an example: I know a woman on welfare, who's husband was at the time, making $50,000+ a year. They had one kid with another on the way and she was working a $20,000 a year job for a combined income of $70,000 a year.
So how is this family on welfare? The husband is working for cash money that doesn't get reported and so it looks like they are supporting a family for $20,000. They are proud of this and are quick to brag about it. It is a cultural thing for them and its spreading like wildfire as more and more people feel they are "entitled" to other peoples money!!
That attitude is an example of why the WASP culture was necessary to build a country like this, while other cultures (or lack of culture) simply tear it down.
My Mom used to work for HHS. She reveled in catching people like this...."So, how long, exactly, have you been working for XYZ contractor?" :-)
No repercussions, which always frosted her. Nothing beyond giving them the boot from the dole.