As many of you may have heard by now the Mayans correctly predicted the Snowpocalypse (aka Snowmageddon). Over the last two days, South Central Wisconsin was hit with 16 to 24 inches of snow. Which is pretty much the end of the world if you have to clear it. If you need all of the equipment in the photo to the right to get to your mailbox, you might live in Wisconsin.
Now this post is not really about the Mayans, it is really a tale of union vs. non-union. I live in a unique area. My driveway comes out to a private alley that is owned and maintained by the man who owns the condominium complex behind me. The condo owner is responsible for plowing the alley. Every winter the alley I have to use is a one lane treacherous ice skating rink because he hires the cheapest snow removal service possible.
The photo below is my alley, plowed by a private snow removal service. My son is standing where my driveway actually ends; the snow removal has cut our two lane alley down to one lane. I hope we never have a situation where a fire truck has to get back there as I do not think one would fit.
The reason only one lane is cleared is obvious enough: it is cheaper and the man who owns this alley is purchasing the lowest priced labor he can find.
The above photo is what a street plowed by a union professional looks like. Yes it is still a little icy but they had just put salt down after I had taken this photo. Notice it is pretty much the full width of the street. The City of Madison plows were running all day and all night yesterday. This is what my tax dollars pay for and I tip my hat to the union plow drivers in my beloved city—without them I would not be able to get to the grocery store today. The union plow driver who did my street even stopped and cleared the end of a driveway for the elderly man on the corner when he saw him struggling to clear it himself.
Remember when I said I needed all that stuff to get to my mailbox ... I wasn't kidding as you can see in the photo above. I am now going to go grocery shopping now on clear roads which last night were impassible. I salute you, union plow drivers for making it possible.