You still coming in?

In DSNY Life, Night Plow, Safety, Weather by Samuel Rivera

OK, boys and girls, imagine the biggest storm ever hits New York and you get stuck at home and have to go to work.  Boy do you have a problem, first thing to remember is that you are just a number and numbers do matter in this business especially when your absence  creates a problem for “The Plan”.

When the plan includes every able body, they will need you to come in, this is especially a problem if you are on some sort of probation, because the bosses look at it as if “they made it in you could of also”. The best way to avoid having a problem during these big storms is to plan your day with one thing in mind, just get to work.

Wait a minute! They are people that will not be able to make it in, well they are other garages scattered all over the city, before going this route make contact with your people in your garage(Garage Supervisor, Shop Steward, Super or Supers Clerk) NOT civilian clerk or GUs. It is very rare that the order goes out that states you can work in another garage, so don’t count on someone being nice, make plans to get to work.

Examples:

In my first 3 1/2 years I worked in QE8 and didn’t have a car. I use to take 2 buses and in some of those storms I walked because the buses weren’t running or running real slow and on some of those lucky days I would catch a ride with someone going my way. Garage Supervisor had a cut-down pick me up once because there was no way I could’ve made it to work on time.

Not until I transferred closer to home did I realize how much easier it is to get to work during those hard days when you live in the district.

Some ways on how I got to and from work.

  • 1996 Blizzard: Caught a Spreader going to Garage.
  • 2010 Blizzard: Pick up by city vehicle.
  • Hurricane Sandy: Drove home in the storm @ 4:00 am.

Advice: I never worked in another garage, I always took these storms seriously and gave myself enough time to get to work, but sometimes I would get there late(Murphy’s Law). Get to your work location Safely and Don’t be late! People are counting on you, but for Gods sake do not become a statistic “Safety Always”

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