Houston City Employees Work to Make Our City Work for All Public service workers are proud to keep Houston moving forward Quality Public Service Idea Problem:  Workers use a broom and a mop to spread asphalt sealer.  Solution: A spreading machine currently used by Harris County would be more efficient. Benefits: • Smoother bridge surface • Reduced risk to employees by cutting heavy labor • Faster application freeing up time for other projects • Improved traffic as bridges won’t be closed as long We’re the people that make Houston work.   But often the work we do every day--like keeping our streets safe and parks clean--goes unnoticed.  Because we’re on the frontlines of public service, we have ideas of how our work could be better for employees and Houston residents alike.  Now that we’re united in HOPE, we have the opportunity to make our voices heard to improve the quality of vital public services our community needs. But in order for us to win a strong quality public services contract, we need the support of taxpayers and decision makers.  We are spreading the word about how our work affects the daily lives of our neighbors.  In April, as we were kicking off negotiations, Damon Russell, a truck driver in the public works department, was interviewed by the Houston Chronicle.  He discussed how important it was to have a real voice at work and described how, working with management, we could improve our jobs and help taxpayers.  You can see in the idea box at right how his suggestion for more modern equipment would improve the safety and quality of his job and reduce inconvenience for Houston drivers.  Ideas like these describe the important services we provide and the value of having our voice heard.  We need stories from every job and every worksite to help build support for our quality public services contract. Find out what your co-workers are saying. Tell us how you make Houston work.