In a swift and startling move, Teamsters Local 726, which represented truck drivers in the city's Departments of Streets and Sanitation, Transportation, Water Management and Aviation, was taken over by the international union yesterday. Local 726 was one of two unions that held out against the mayor's cost-cutting efforts in this year's budget battle, resulting in nearly 150 city truck drivers being laid off. At the time, the local refused to give up overtime and take furlough days. Tom Clair, then secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 726, had said that "during the winter program, our people work snow. They also work out on the runways at O'Hare. They felt it was too big a hit on the comp time. That accounts for $15,000-to-$30,000 more a year. They weren't willing to give that up." more ›