Despite protests, plow drivers at work

GREEN BAY - It is business as usual for area snow plow operators, despite concerns about what is happening at the state Capitol.

Some FOX 11 viewers questioned whether the plow drivers would call in sick because many are public employees. Workers across the state called in sick this past week to protest Governor Scott Walker’s budget bill that would take away collective bargaining rights for government employees.

Green Bay snow plow supervisor Dick Litkey says everything is running smoothly with snow removal in the city. He says it took only 24 minutes to call in 18 plow operators with all of them responding in less than half an hour.

“We could see this one coming for a long time,” said Litkey. “They knew that there was going to be a snow operation this weekend. You could see it coming for three days. It wasn't a surprise like some of them are.”

Sixteen Green Bay snow plow trucks started removing snow early Sunday afternoon from heavily traveled streets. Litkey says a full plow operation will likely start around 11 p.m. with more than 100 trucks on city streets.