Posted on 01/02/2011 3:27:49 PM PST by Nachum
From the New York Times on Thursday, in an item put together with the help of a half-dozen Times reporters ("Inaction and Delays by New York as Storm Bore Down"):
... Harry Nespoli, president of the Uniformed Sanitationmen’s Association, said the problems late Sunday (during the initial stages of the northeast snowstorm -- Ed.) underscored how the city could not rely on outside contractors to help with snow removal and other jobs in such storms, particularly during a holiday weekend.
“You can never count on the privates, because they don’t have to show up,” he said. “What obligation do they have? The mayor can’t order them out. The commissioner can’t order them out.”
That's quite an interesting assertion, given the following item carried in the New York Post today:
More workers catch a 'cold'
Between 660 and 720 Sanitation workers called in sick for the cleanup of last week's blizzard -- more than double the usual rate, The Post has learned.
About 11 to 12 percent of the Sanitation Department's 6,000-strong force didn't show up for work on Monday or Tuesday, city officials confirmed, as 20 inches of snow brought the Apple to a near-standstill.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsbusters.org ...
NY leftists get what they deserve. Hopefully they will enjoy that $10 can of beer.
I heard that the surrounding areas and private contractors werent paid for fiive months and didnt get fully paid then, last time NYC needed help. So this time they stayed away......
If private contractors are a ‘no show’, then they have ‘no job’. It is far, far easier to terminate the contract of a contractor for non performance than to fire a union member whose union will step in and file a grievance.
appears you can’t count on union workers at all
I imagine the DemocRATS are going to beat the GOPer Goobers over the head with a bill to give money to all the union garbage men who were “sickened” while picking up NYC garbage prior to and during the global warming blizzard. Look for it to be on Barry’s desk soon. I can see the U.N. getting involved also.
decertify the union and jail the leaders for RICO violations
It seems that many NYC Sanitation workers didn’t “show up” either. What’s their point?
You can count on the privates if you actually pay them.
In a sane America, these scumbags would be indicted under RICO statute....
Funny, our local trash pickup is privatized and they show up on time and on schedule, even when trash day falls on a holiday (like it did last year on Christmas Day and New Years Day).
Exactly. In my town private garbage collectors do trash removal. In 7 years, this past Tuesday was the first time they didn’t show, due to being snowed in on Monday.
They were here on time Wednesday morning.
“YOu can’t trust the privates.”
Yes, protectionism is much better at incentivizing ‘efficient’ behavior than free enterprise (competition).
Wait — what?
I’m in NY, but live on the Island, thank goodness. Grew up in the Bronx, couldn’t imagine even driving by to see my old apt. We lived there until I was 10 (although it’s in the google thing that shows the streets so I’m able to see it as it is now).
I have good memories living in the Bronx, of course, that was in the 70’s. I remember being 5 when a terrible snow/ice storm hit. Back then, you were only allowed to take the school bus until you were in the 1st grade, then you had to walk to school.
Our bus was in a terrible accident and I remember being thrown into the seats in front of me. Back then, you cried, your parent/guardian told you to hush and walk it off, which is what we did.
This story just reminds me of that incident.
True - but you can FIRE THEM. Unlike the current public union goons.
“Between 660 and 720 Sanitation workers called in sick “
wonder how many of these are “phantom jobs”, with someone else collecting the paycheck?
Bump.
In my town you have two choices for trash. Pay a fee to use town run transfer station, open three days a week at last check, with numbers rules on disposal. You have to separate, clear from colored glass, cardboard from paper, etc.
Or, you can pay a private company to do weekly curbside pickup. They proved two rolling bins picked up my a mechanical arm on the truck, one for trash for for recycling, no sorting of glass, paper cardboard and plastic required.
The town charges around $45 for the permit, plus extra fees for even a small piece of carpet or even a few pieces of old 2x4. The private form charges less than $3/week, with very few restrictions (i.e no refrigerators, etc). If you have a few 2x4 scraps in you trash bin, they don’t care. If you don’t recycle, they don’t care. Guess which one I use.
If for some reason they cant pick up your route (say a breakdown) until late, they will either call or if you call, they will be able to tell you in a second, usually no holds or transfers. If a major storm causes issues for a wide area, they keep their website up to date with instructions on what to do.
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