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Feb. 3, 2011 While most people in the Chicago area spent Tuesday night sleeping and Wednesday morning pondering their escape from snow-trapped homes, the hardworking members of Teamsters Local 700 took to the streets, highways and tollways to lend a hand and dig out Illinois. Make Room for the Plows "Snow and ice is truly their business," said Mike Melone, Local 700 Business Agent for Illinois Department of Transportation workers. "We say that all the time, but when a disaster like this happens, they step into action like nothing you've ever seen. It's amazing what they can do despite hazardous conditions. We can't thank them enough for keeping the roads safe for all of us." Snow piled up in Chicago and surrounding areas, with many towns nearing two feet of snow. Below, total snowfall in inches as of 5 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 3. Midway International Aiport – 22 in. "The tollway worker's response to blizzards is just remarkable, said Chris Schneider, Local 700 Business Agent for tollway workers. "You always know if you want to find a clear route, you can take the tollway." City of Chicago workers spent much of Tuesday preparing for the blizzard by spreading salt and readying emergency trucks. In situations such as this one, the City attaches plows to the front of garbage trucks and rents additional plow equipment to keep up with the snow. "It's something that's really hard to keep up with," LaTayna Dickerson, plow operator for the City of Chicago and a Teamster for more than two decades, said of the relentless snow that piled on Chicago. "It's really dangerous for all the people trying to drive around." Dickerson explained that members operating the plows likely will work 12-hour shifts until the streets are cleared, which could be several days. This schedule means plows are always on the road. They don't just move snow, though. City workers, along with those who plow for the Illinois Department of Transportation, also must keep an eye out for motorists in need. "If we see someone stranded on the side of the road, we call for a tow truck, or police if needed, and then block their car to protect them from others driving by," said Dickerson. "This is a shining example of how dependent the people of Illinois are on Teamsters," said John T. Coli, Local 700 Trustee. "Where would the City be right now if it weren't for the members who had 12-hour overnight shifts? We would be completely buried." Grounded Flights, Plenty of Overtime Though no planes were taking off from either O'Hare or Midway airports Wednesday, Local 700 members were still working to clear the runways for flights later in the week. Shifts were so long and conditions outside were so bad that members decided to camp out at the airport and sleep on cots in lieu of going home in between shifts. "That's dedication," said Becky Strzechowski, Local 700 Assistant Trustee. "When you are inclined to sleep away from home just so you can ensure roads and runways are clear for others, that shows the true Teamster spirit." Members working for municipalities in the Chicago area also were working with new schedules to accommodate the falling snow, with some towns having as few as three people assigned to plowing. "These people are all changing their schedules around to keep a 24-hour workload going," said William P. Logan, Local 700 Assistant Trustee. "Some are working 16 hours or more and are still just barely keeping up." Despite the efforts of members plowing the streets, many people still had trouble getting to work Wednesday morning. Officers at the Cook County Department of Corrections felt the impact, as many members were unable to make it in. "A lot of officers that made it in are working 16 hours or more and doing the job with reduced staff all around the compound," said Mark Robinson, Chief Union Steward for the Department of Corrections. Robinson had been on the job since 5 p.m. Tuesday and hoped to be able to go home Wednesday evening. "They're doing a really good job of taking care of us," Robinson said of the administrative staff at the Department of Corrections. "There were places for us to get some sleep and they made sure food was available too. It's good that our members got to work, but it's also good when the employer comes back and does the right thing." Staying in School Despite Storm The cleared roads, highways and tollways made it easier for another group of Teamster Local 700-represented members to get to work. Members at the University of Illinois at Chicago dutifully showed up on Wednesday to clear the campus, parking lots, sidewalks and handicap accessible areas of snow. "The main focus of these members is always to make sure students and teachers have access to classrooms so they can continue to attend school," said Melone. "And what good would it be to have a campus clear or snow if the parking lots weren't clear as well?" Motor Pool drivers worked to clear the main campus and parking lots using plows while the grounds crew and drivers helpers took to shoveling sidewalks and handicap accessible areas by hand. Keeping the Roads Safe, Clear Across the state, Illinois State Police Master Sergeants also were affected by the blizzard. "Whenever something like this happens, they put an emergency plan into effect," said Robert Fierstein, who along with Pat O'Driscoll is a Chief Steward and Illinois State Police Master Sergeant. "Even people who are not normally assigned to patrol duties, like administrative people and investigative people, are out helping." Master Sergeants, who are not normally on patrol, were called in to help during this emergency. Fierstein explained that the priority of state troopers in emergency situations like this one is to help stranded motorists. Those who are involved in an accident but still have drivable cars are asked to exchange information and continue driving to keep the roads clear. Troopers and Master Sergeants also check every stopped car to make sure anyone inside is OK. "When the weather gets really cold and there's a stopped car, we can't just drive past it because someone could be inside who needs medical attention," said Fierstein. "We make sure they get the help they need and stay safe." The storm affected Teamsters all over Illinois, some who had never worked through something of this magnitude. Dickerson, who has seen more than one blizzard in her time with the City of Chicago, offered some advice. "They'll all learn today," she said. "Experience is your teacher."
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