Milwaukee DPW plow driver shortage drags on heading into snowy months

Milwaukee’s scarcity of plow drivers continues heading into the winter months.

Delays in leaf assortment signaled comparable points on the horizon as soon as snow hits as the identical those who clear leaves put together to do snow and ice management.

“DPW like another group within the nation proper now’s simply having issues filling vacancies. We did enhance pay final 12 months. We have been versatile in how we usher in new employees and practice them together with doing steady recruitment which started this 12 months,” DPW spokesperson Brian DeNeve defined.

DPW is budgeted for 277 operation driver employees. The pool covers the whole lot from snow and ice management to sanitation, forestry, and infrastructure. Nevertheless, DeNeve stated about 20% of these positions are empty noting that the determine fluctuates.

“Problem is when we have now vacancies the an increasing number of of these program areas will likely be impacted in having to do snow and ice management. That would imply a delay in rubbish and recycling assortment or perhaps not as many crews out doing pothole filling,” DeNeve stated. “We wish to attempt to be as versatile as doable in filling these vacancies however you recognize we will solely do what we will do in terms of a inhabitants that doesn’t have the background or perhaps as an occupied with doing this kind of work.”

“I believe residents throughout town are going to start out realizing it is a new actuality,” District 4 Alderman Robert Bauman stated.

Bauman added that the state legislature must step in to assist town keep aggressive and fill these jobs.

“We won’t afford to lift these wage scales. Why? As a result of town lacks the income to take action,” Ald. Bauman stated.

Report a typo or error // Submit a information tip