Redtail,
I'm going to second Blacksheep's motion on this one.
You shouldn't have to babysit your coworkers - let them stand or fall on their own merits (or lack thereof) while keeping your own high standards of performance.
I feel your stress though, people who're good for nothing better than fossilizing on the company dime have a distinct knack for sucking the life out of morale! Did you ever notice that people like this can invariably quote union privelege and protection policies chapter and verse? What I have a hard time understanding is why management and union leadership are so slow to realize the liablity that incompetent employees will ultimately be. That "path of least resistance" style of management has always proven itself to be a very expensive (disasterous) policy. Unfortunately, the workhorses that comprise the backbone of your force are weighted down, and overall performance suffers as a result.
Chin up Redtail!
It takes a while for the cream to separate - but when it does - it always rises. Try not to become too disheartened in the meantime!