Mayor Daley: Hard to get rid of rule that protects sleeping Teamster truck drivers

The problems within Illinois and Chicago government are so entrenched that it will years to fix it. The Chicago Tribune's Clout Street blog reports on a Teamsters Union work rule that allows truck drivers to sleep or do nothing while on the city payroll.

The city's inspector general released a report that says Chicago can cave $18 million per year by laying off unionized drivers who simply drive workers from one site to another. When they get to their destination, they can loaf on the city payroll. Yes, they can even take a nap.

But a union contract protects this form of "working." And that agreement doesn't expire until 2017.

Today outgoing Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said the nap rule is hard to get rid of because "you have to give and take" in contract negotiations.

Tell the Teamsters to take a nap when they are off the taxpayer's dime. How's that for a rule?

Related posts:

Gov. Quinn Pro Quo: Pat Quinn's public-sector union cash, part four

Illinois: Almost 97% of state workers could be represented by unions soon

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