Blog purpose

This BLOG is for LLNL present and past employees, friends of LLNL and anyone impacted by the privatization of the Lab to express their opinions and expose the waste, wrongdoing and any kind of injustice against employees and taxpayers by LLNS/DOE/NNSA. The opinions stated are personal opinions. Therefore, The BLOG author may or may not agree with them before making the decision to post them. Comments not conforming to BLOG rules are deleted. Blog author serves as a moderator. For new topics or suggestions, email jlscoob5@gmail.com

Blog rules

  • Stay on topic.
  • No profanity, threatening language, pornography.
  • NO NAME CALLING.
  • No political debate.
  • Posts and comments are posted several times a day.

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Keep the LLNL BLOG alive!


http://llnlthefinalstory.blogspot.com/ is gone.
This Blog replaces it. I wish we could have continued it, instead of starting all over.

Someone at http://lanl-the-rest-of-the-story.blogspot.com/ labeled the LLNL blogs as flaky.
The are a lots of inflammatory remarks by LANL people. They refer to us as "Livermites". See:

http://lanl-the-rest-of-the-story.blogspot.com/2007/12/disappearing-llnl-blogs.html
We are not interested in returning the favor. We want this BLOG to be a forum for exchanging opinions, passing on new information and exposing injustices, among many other things.
We know what happens at LANL will likely be duplicated on a different scale at LLNL. So, it pays to follow news on the LANL blog.
Here is an interesting article referred to by the LANL BLOG:

http://blog.wired.com/defense/2007/11/nuke-labs-blast.html

65 comments:

Eric said...

What do you want this blog to accomplish?

How do you expect it to differ from LANL: The Rest of the Story and other existing blogs?

Thanks

Anonymous said...

I'm a LANLite and I know that LANL: The-rest-of-the-story is an embarrasment. Only malcontents and whiners post to it. I would advise you not to follow the LANL blog format. I wish you well with your blog and hope it fills an educational gap.

Anonymous said...

Eric,
This BLOG is intended to be a forum for exchanging opinions, passing on new information and exposing injustices.
No frills!
We don't want to outperform any other BLOG in anyway.

Anonymous said...

hello December 3, 2007 11:55 AM!

This blog does not pretend to educate and fill educational gaps. Just a place hwere you can exchange opinions, pass on news exposes injustices caused by the transition. Of course, you can talk about anything LLNL-related, as long as you feel you are informing!

Anonymous said...

Do you have access to last Blog? There were just beginning to be some good threads!! It would be great to continue them....

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

You can access the cached version of the last blog (llnlthelaststory) if you go through google.

I think it's important to have these blogs to pass on info. Most of us can pretty well separate the wheat from the chaff.

Anonymous said...

I got a better on then that. How do you get in touch with the blog master to give him or her input for a top level post?

Anonymous said...

May I suggest this as a top level post. It was doing so well until the blog vaporized

Hanging It Out

Request: "I second the motion for a new topic regarding injustices, please Mr. Blog Master hear us out!!" No names please or post will be removed. Keep it simple if you can. This post has been paraphrased.

In reference to a post where someone asked the people of LLNL to take their lickings and keep on ticking I have to say this. Before we being to you ask people to grow up and take responsibility for their own actions and to “go with the flow in the face of every changing times”, we need LLNS to resolve a few issues first.

Lets talk about the injustice NNSA / DOE / LLNS have bestowed upon the people of LLNL throughout the years all of which many of us thought would be resolve within the first week of the take over by LLNS but to our disappointment nothing that LLNS has done has been to the benefit of the employee. It’s been all about “them”, who clearly display’s a “me, me, me” syndrome. I'll try to outline a few facts and keep it as simple if possible.

First of all I’d like to point out that LLNL management does have a choice on how to handle downsizing and cost cutting but as you can see they’ve failed miserably with their poor decision making and clearly practice assured survival of the management tactics. Now is the time for LLNS to make some changes that will impress the congress and senate, but before that can occur LLNS must first clean up the existing dilemma's that lie before us, before anyone will give them a dime for WFO. So the question that remains is, where should LLNS start. Let’s try this.

A large quantity of employees have learned how manipulated the system to acquire big pay raises and advancements and shortly afterwards went into cruise mode for the remainder of their career. I'm talking about those who were technicians at one time and then became supervisors. Once they made the transition they remained in their supervisor’s capacity for approximately five years; where at that time they rose to the top. After a short period of time as a supervisor they reverted back to their technician’s status, yet retained their supervisor’s pay.....

Then we have professional PhD who couldn't make it as experimentalist in the lab, did absolutely nothing for the good of science or the world and yet were consequently advanced to management positions where their salaries quadrupled over their Phd counterparts who by the way consistently could out perform the administrators many times over....

In conclusion my feelings are that LLNS can do better job. However, before this can happen LLNS must be willing to divorce themselves from the good old boy club and start kicking some ass in order to bring LLNL cost down. However I want to make it very clear. The problem is "AT THE TOP", not the "BOTTOM". It’s the worker bees that make things happen at LLNL_NOT_ the administrators. IMHO, people are not expendable commodities, but projects are. This philosophy is a complete contradiction to some, such as ( a manager ) who said “ I want that $2M dollars for projects, not people on the EBA list”, but then again if you examine where he is in the food chain you'd understand why. In managements case, it’s all about “them” and they are convinced that without them the world would cease to function. Bah Humbug Bubba. It’s layers of management that are expendable and should be the first to go.

Anonymous said...

What happened to the picture that was supposed to show up on this blog at the top. Can't you pick a new template. This is awful.

Anonymous said...

My suggestion with this blog is to find a template and lay out that was just like to old blogs. Make you very first topic to be exactly what December 3, 2007 5:00PM said. then put in a disclaimer at the bottom like the one that follows so tha people know anyhting goes except naming names. That's not a good thing but initials, locations, classifiaction code, etc are game. Then erase all the current post and start over. This blog is already off to a bad start. If there is a way to have a link to the diaclaamer at the bootm of each post, do it, so that people undersatnd the rules. My final suggestion is to not censor the pot but just read everyone before they get posted and take peoples suggestions on new topics of discussion.

Blog Disclaimer

This blog is for people of LLNL to voice their "opinions" , "suspicions" and "feelings" of what may or may not be happening at LLNL under the guidance of LLNS directed by NNSA and DOE. Nothing posted here should be taken as the truth nor any actions you take be based on this information. It's each person's responsibility to seek out the information they need to make a logical decision and then carry through with the decision you made based solely on your own research. This blog was established to give you motivation to seek the truth and then seek justice if there is any in your own mine. This is an open forum and the blog or the people that post here are not responsible for your actions or even what comes about because of their postings or your actions.

Frank Young said...

Welcome to the blogger club, Scooby!

Anonymous said...

Another good top level post to get comments on:

The List Is Being Compiled

Expect 600 contract and term gone by Jan 31st and in March 300+ FTE's. The numbers mumbled at the last meeting with SP was expect to see numbers like 2400 at each facility and then there is this. SP said two years ago I want that $2M used for EBA for projects and there will be no EBA lit after LLNS takes over. Well guess what. Now that in Dec we are going to have hundreds of HIS fellow engineers and scientist on the EBA list fully supported by the overhead funds the EBA list is not a "valuable tool". The tune really changes when it close to home doesn't it SP. But here's the kicker. Some FTE non degreed people are going to be booted and these engineers and scientist are going to be put in your place while they retain their ungodly salaries instead of being RIF'd. So there's justice for you.

It even gets better people.

Demographics is playing a part in this RIF. I just wanted you to know there are federal guidelines that must be followed and they are going to go by the rules.

Anonymous said...

Hmm! New Blog, just when the other one was getting good. I almost did something career limiting today. What was with the Director’s Home Campaign e-mail? It was like rubbing the LINS large salaries in our faces. Do not get me wrong I believe in charity but none of us are getting raises, and the Director had the audacity to challenge us by touting LINS board members would be supplying matching funds. Maybe it is just me and I took the e-mail the wrong way. I wanted so bad to hit reply all and ask what drugs are being passed around in 111. When I get a raise, I will contribute to Director’s Millers charity of choice. Until then DOE/NNSA needs to start the random drug test in 111. Miller and his cronies have no idea how the rest of LLNL feels.

Anonymous said...

December 3, 2007 6:41 PM

The live in their own world and are still trying to get people to give in to their ways. I agree. We didn't get a dime in times when gas is over $3.50 a gallon and everything else that is connected with petroleum is going up. I guess when I see my 20% raise after taxes I'll once again donate, but not until. They can take their home campaign and shove it.

Eric said...

Scooby,

From your point of view, if opinions, informations and injustices are exchanged on this blog, but no action is taken to rectify the injustices or to use the information or opinions to make a better future for Livermore employees, will you consider this blog to be a success.

Thanks,

Anonymous said...

December 3, 2007 7:15 PM

I am going to bank on the fact that no matter how much the people who visit these blogs bitch about the injustices at LLNL nothing will ever change as long as you have UC managers calling the shots. Change will not take place until they're all gone and there is no _UC_ management in ULM. Then and only then can LLNS get the lab on course and competitive with outside industry.

Anonymous said...

December 3, 2007 7:33 PM. What rock have you been under - Bechtel runs things, not UC

Anonymous said...

December 3, 2007 8:15 PM

Bechtel's not running a thing or all of the EBA's that are about to hit the list this month would have been shown the door by mid december. It's old UC LLNL mamagers that are saving their asses. This is not a LLNS call. It's the old folks in 111 protecting their own kind once again.

Anonymous said...

Hey December 3, 2007 12:56 PM!I wish I knew how to get the old blog contents back!
It was gone with no warning.So, I decided to start a new one.

Anonymous said...

my guess is that LLNS is "generously" offering the match and the HOME campaign deadline has been extended because contributions are significantly lower this year (no surprise). It's basically a face saving measure by ULM and the board of governors. As I recall, last year's total was approx. 1.4M and to date this years is approx. 750K. This year, I decided to give to charity outside of HOME for obvious reasons.

Anonymous said...

"I got a better on then that. How do you get in touch with the blog master to give him or her input for a top level post?

December 3, 2007 4:57 PM"

Do it here.

Anonymous said...

Do it here.

December 3, 2007 8:59 PM

You mean like there's no e-mail address to send attachments to or withe him or her directly.

Anonymous said...

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Anonymous said...

The blog is strating to shape up and looking good. Now if we can keep people on topic and get them to post their comments under the correct topic we'll be well on our way. I would suggest that you make this know up front. Also make sure they understand that name calling should be avoided since there are other ways to point to what or who they wish the people to know about without using their name.

Anonymous said...

You mean like there's no e-mail address to send attachments to or withe him or her directly.

December 3, 2007 9:03 PM

email for scooby is jlscoob5@aol.com

Anonymous said...

LLNL employees have never been told the RIF rules. They seem to be changing to fit ULM's needs. Here's one I found amazing

Define RIF seniority policy

Define seniority was the questions at the supervisors meeting. Here's your answer. Yes the RIF of FTE's will be based on seniority but its not what you think. For example. Lets say you came to work for LLNL in 1990 and then ten years later or sometime between 1990 and 2007 you had a break in service. Lets assume that you broke service in 2000. Then five years later you came back to work for LLNL in 2005. Now you have worked for LLNL from 2005 until 2007. That will give you two years seniority. For RIF purposes they don't count your time from the original start date. Its the last date you joined LLNL when the clocks starts counting again. Are any of you in that situation. I know a few that are going to be real upset when they are marched out the gate in March of 2008.

Anonymous said...

As far as I know, the detail LLNL RIF plan has not been approved by NNSA, which would be required before a VSIP could occur. Please advise if I am wrong.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Here's a good place to find out just how much money you'll have to save in you 410K in order to retire with only a 4% return.

Anonymous said...

I see that this "blog" is nothing more than an ad for the law firm of "Dewey, Screwem and Howe" . . . they must be a sister company of LLNS.

My comment of what happened to the old blog was "removed". Go to the LANS blog if you don't want to be censored.

Anonymous said...

7:22,

No it has not been approved. It has not even been submitted yet. The information will likely go out to the PADs on Friday and then they will begin to prepare the plan. We were told today that the VSIP would not begin until around mid-January. Also, pink slips for Flex/SL to begin distribution on 1/7.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it was removed December 4, 2007 7:56 PM beause it contained an expletive. Read the rules!

Anonymous said...

Eric said: From your point of view, if opinions, informations and injustices are exchanged on this blog, but no action is taken to rectify the injustices or to use the information or opinions to make a better future for Livermore employees, will you consider this blog to be a success.'

My response is: yes

Anonymous said...

why don't we discuss the juxtaposition of 500 workers laid off with 1 million dollars offered to charity by the management.
This blog is going to fall apart unless it starts digging into the festering pustule aka LLNS.

Anonymous said...

Recommendation: This Blog seems to be on life support compared to the last one. One suspect reason is that posts are reviewed beforehand by 'Scooby' thus making it much less interactive....Not sure why the review [Doesn't 1st amendment apply?] but I'd like to see the restriction lifted and see if we can get some action here!!

Anonymous said...

Scooby, my apologies as I see my post was posted immediately. Did you change process or what am I smoking??

Anonymous said...

anynymous said:

Recommendation: This Blog seems to be on life support compared to the last one. One suspect reason is that posts are reviewed beforehand by 'Scooby' thus making it much less interactive....Not sure why the review [Doesn't 1st amendment apply?] but I'd like to see the restriction lifted and see if we can get some action here!!\

Scooby said:
This BLOG requires time and energy and I took it upon myself to do the best I can.
I started out not moderating but then a few people sneaked in bad language. So, moderating is back.
And finally, this BLOG does not claim to be entertaining and full of action. If you want that, you are visiting the wrong BLOG buddy!

Anonymous said...

This blog is going to fall apart unless it starts digging into the festering pustule aka LLNS.

December 5, 2007 7:59 PM

What do you suggest? email jlscoob5@aol.com

Anonymous said...

I have stopped reading the LANL blog. I know that they employ some really top-notch scientists but the bloggers are of a different sort. Too bad because it was really quite informative before the current blog manager took over. Anyway, I hope this blog can remain above it all and provide constructive discourse without fear of being attacked.

Anonymous said...

"What do you suggest? email jlscoob5@aol.com"


Working on it

Anonymous said...

So, it is important to have a forum for employees to get frustrations off their chests. However, it is depressing to see so many posts with an attitude of "I'm persecuted and I'm owed". Life is hard and then you die folks. Employees at LLNL have it pretty good compared to most of the world. Sure, I'd like to make more money and have better benefits. I'd like to ride the gravy train as long as possible, who wouldn't, but LLNL, and DOE have to make sense business wise. We're here for a mission, national security. Within the 8000+ employees there are great ones, good one, regular ones and those who are not so good.

From time to time all businesses have to make some course corrections. When the cold war ended, so did some of the reason for our mission. As the war on terrorism stood up, our mission began to change. Congress and DOE have some changing priorities and LLNL like LANL and Sandia and other DOE facilities will make more changes to follow those priorities.

Yes, we are going through some hard times. I don't like it either. I am really missing not getting the salary increase that I expected. I'm not holding out a lot of hope that George will approve one for this year. I'm going to feel bad and miss people who will be laid off soon. I'm hoping that the Bay Area economy will mean they can all find new and better jobs soon.

We are going to see 400-500 of our fellow co-workers leaving in January and that will impact our own workloads. I find it of some comfort that no one will have to leave before Christmas and that when on January 7th, when the first of those who are leaving are informed that their services are no longer required, they will have a month's pay in lieu of notice so they have some coverage while looking for a new job. All of the first round of lay-offs will be gone by January 30th. I wish that the voluntary self-select program would have some "incentive", the one-week of pay per service year is NOT attractive and I think only those who were planning to leave soon will take advantage. That means there is a real chance of an involuntary program. I expect that we will see a total of 800-1000 positions eliminated by the end of this year. Frankly, I hope that they don't base it strictly on seniority. I hope it does address skills and performance. It isn't fair to lay-off a bright, productive new employee when there are people who have been shuffled around from make-work job to EBA and back. To keep this laboratory fresh and productive, you do need new blood. Some of the new employees I've seen hired in the last few years are great additions. I don't belong to SPSE, I think they come off as whiners. I do think they serve a purpose though to keep things honest and provide a check against excesses. I don't think that the new contractor is doing everything right - does anyone when they first take on a new job? I know I didn't. I still make mistakes and I've been here for 20 something years. I'm missing all sorts of perks that we've had for years at LLNL, I still miss the cafeteria subsidy and that was taken away years ago. Somethings I think are just plain stupid, like taking away the Employee Store and employee relations lunches. I am hopeful that some balance will return in time. The lab has to look at the long term picture though and it is going to cause some short term pain. But this has been coming for a while now. Take a look at the numbers over the last few years and you'll see that the trend has been towards a smaller laboratory - started back in Mike Anastasio's day. It also reflects the rest of the corporate world around us. The days of life-long employment and defined benefit plans with fully subsidized health care is going the way of the dinosaur. Look around and realize that you are the best person to take care of your own needs. If you don't like the working conditions here, look for something else. Life is too short to spend it being unhappy.

BTW, I was surprised too about the $1M that LLNS is willing to put in for the Home Campaign - it comes out of their fee - not the lab budget. They could have kept that for the partners. I was also surprised that they extended the period for making a HOME pledge, looks like the contribution percentages are down. I think that does reflect the overall morale of the lab and the concern people have about their salaries and jobs.

It would be nice if the LLNS board of governors and management were to let us know how they will be investing in us as employees. Will they use any of their management fee to reward employees or encourage us in our development. Will they invest in us - which really invests in their success.

So this is a long one. I've never posted to something like this before, but I've been reading the comments here and on the LANL blog and wanted to add another flavor to the posts.

Anonymous said...

May be old news but I hope they and all of the people that got screwed by Enron win their law suit.

Anonymous said...

Check this out people. We have an editor that reads the blog. Now you know that what you say could easily get posted in the newspaper for the nation to read. As you can see ULM did get raises that I'd surely like to have but it wasn't as much as we thought, well, yet. Who knows, maybe their true salaries are not public information as this article wants you to believe. Only time will tell.

Good job people you finally are being heard. Please let you concerns be known. As the disclaimer says. This is a place for you to voice your concerns, suspicions,feeling and maybe even darn good rumor or just speculation. It surly is a place for the uninformed to get one's mine thinking instead of dwelling on an issue all alone with no one to converse with. Being able to express your thoughts is a constitutional right. With all that's happening at the National Labs ULM should expect nothing but scrutiny from the finest they have employed. It is a double edged sword where ULM always has the upper hand when the employees are on site.

Anonymous said...

That is the intent: to get exposure, not only here in the bay area but everywhere. I am sure DOE, NNSA, LLNS etc... have perused the BLOG. They are welcome to comment too.

Anonymous said...

More good news. Just had this e-mailed to me. Enjoy and look at the lay off number. It's like moneky see, monkey do.

Here

Remember that LLNL is also talking about Mikey suggestion that 2,200 : 2,400 have to go. We're next. Watch

Anonymous said...

Plato - I agree with much of what you said, but you miss the boat on a couple of points. First, I think that what you are calling a "gravy train" is actually a promise that was made to employees when they first started working here. Folks that have been here 30 years or more are not asking for hand outs, only what was promised them. The thing that doesn't make sense is that the NNSA could easily have left UC benefits in place - it probably would cost them less than the matching and experience based contributions of TCP2. We are not talking about whiners here - these are hard working, patriotic Americans that are only asking for what was promised them. Sorry, but the changes feel more like some sort of punishment. Yes, change is inevitable, but it can be done in a humane manner, and in a way that recognizes the contributions of employees!

Anonymous said...

"More good news. Just had this e-mailed to me. Enjoy and look at the lay off number. It's like moneky see, monkey do."

How is this good news?

BTW, the numbers quoted in the article are just a fraction of the total number of employees that will lose their jobs at LANL. 740 full-time regular positions (equivalent to LLNL Indefinite Career) are on the list - 450 have tentatively put in for the SSP (Self Selection Program), leaving about 290 to get the involuntary. Concurrent with the 450 that took the voluntary, additional Limited Term and contractor employees will be let go. That is in addition to the hundreds of contract employees that have been let go since their contract transition (IIRC, about 350 contract employees were let go in the first 6 months of the LANS contract). All of the above is required EVEN IF LANL gets the President's budget for FY '08. The House version of the appropriations bill cuts at least $300 or so million from the President's budget. My guess is that LANL will lose about 1,000 to 1,200 more employees before the end of September 2008.

At LLNL, in addition to the SLO employees already out the door, add 275 more Flex Term and 225 more SLO, then about 300 Career Indefinite. Again, that will just about take care of the $130 million additional cost due to the LLNS transition. Then you've got to factor in the probable budget reductions. Maybe a total of 1,000 more LLNL employees out the door by the end of September 2008.

Not good news at all!

Anonymous said...

"As one commenter notes on the invaluable LANL: The Rest of the Story blog, the management team should save about $69,600,000 from the Los Alamos departures. Their estimated fee for running the place: $70,000,000."

So what you're telling us is the current RIF "ONLY" takes care of the $70M management fee. If this is the case then how are they going to take care of the other $350M or so they're in the hole for. Let me guess.

More lay-offs. We did hear 2,400 out of Mikey's mouth. I guess there's more truth to this than one wants to realizes. Things are becoming so clear.

Anonymous said...

I thought LLNS promised a job to all permanent employees "In good standing" What happened?

Anonymous said...

oh my gosh - someone typing a bad word might offend someone . . . give me a break.

Anonymous said...

Well it looks like April Showers May Bring, May Flowers. We now have until April of 2008 to sweat bullets and wonder which on of us is going to be shown the door next. Oh well, sooner or later they are going to get the population down by 2,200 less than we have now. Lets hope its all over by Oct 1st, 2007 and we can get on with life. The Time Line

The 2,220 + is making more sense as time goes on especially when LANL reports that 760 people equates to only $69M, enough to take care of the management fees. LLNL's is only what, $70M. That means if we are $300M in the hole we need to can at least 3,245 people to break even. So if we only can 2,200 in 2008 that won't be so bad. Maybe in FY-2009 we can do this all over again. The good news is the have the right man for the job. I'd sure like to make his wages but I don't think I'd like his duties. Meet Mr. Russo who IMHO will be the one who has to cut the most people in comparison to Murray. These two have no choice because they are just puppet being given directions ultimately by the congress and the senate. Pretty sad wouldn't you say. It really doesn't say much about the intelligences of the people who we depend on to run this country.

Anonymous said...

"I thought LLNS promised a job to all permanent employees "In good standing" What happened?"

From the LLNL contract:

"(b) Employee Retention

(1) Subject to the availability of funds, the Contractor shall offer employment to all employees of the predecessor contractor who as of the start of the Contract period of performance are in good standing and have LLNL “Career” or “Term” appointments as described in the LLNL Personnel
Policies and Procedures Manual, except as set forth in subparagraph (b)(2) below. Subsequently, the Contractor shall exercise appropriate managerial judgment regarding employee retention and job assignments."

It's the phrases "Subject to the availability of funds" and "Subsequently" that get you. Unfortunately, THAT'S what happened.

Anonymous said...

"Subject to the availability of funds"

LLNS knew what their management salaries were going to be before the transition started. They also knew what the employees salary was, it is a matter of public record.
Therefore, if there was a shortfall in funds, it should have been addressed before the offer letters went out. In other words, before people were persuaded to pick TCP1.

Anonymous said...

Hello dec 12 5:57
Congress can hear if our voice is loud enough.
write your rep all at once:
go to:
http://www.rallycongress.com/letter2congress/698/
and use this sample letter:
The privatization of LLNL and LANL was botched! DOE/NNSA knew about the costs associated with privatization and misled so many people into taking Total Compensation plan 1. So many people were cheated! I want congress to give them
a chance to reverse their decision. This should be on your agenda.
For more info on how people feel, see
http://llnlthetruestory.blogspot.com/

Thank you!
Sincerely,

Anonymous said...

As one commenter notes on the invaluable LANL: The Rest of the Story blog, the management team should save about $69,600,000 from the Los Alamos departures. Their estimated fee for running the place: $70,000,000

This is an oft repeated bit of untruth. Do the math and you'll find that it assumes and employee costs far less then is realistic. If we assume the average loaded cost of an employee is $400k then the LANL savings are SIGNIFICANTLY higher than the management fee.

Anonymous said...

As an employee at LLNL I feel like the employees here are being mistreated by NNSA or DOE. Both Los Alamos National Lab and the Lawrence Livermore National Lab are going through a big 3161 RIF and the folks here in California at LLNL are only being offered a fraction of the separation benefits. If you work in New Mexico on Sen. Domenici's home turf you get a maximum of 39 weeks upon separation but if you work in California, you only get 26 weeks of separation pay. Why do we get less here in California when we live in a higher cost of living area and our homes are being repossessed at a higher rate than anywhere else in the nation?

Anonymous said...

"Why do we get less here in California when we live in a higher cost of living area .....?"

Let's say you work at LANL and get laid off - there are no other local employment opportunities so you have to pack up and move your family elsewhere, assuming you can even find a job in your field. And you have to sell a house in a market where there already are no buyers (because so many will be in a position to try to sell their homes).

At LLNL, at least there are quite a few other employment opportunities in the Bay area, many within a reasonable commuting distance - not necessarily a need to pack up the family and try to sell your home. And many of the jobs in the local area pay wages and provide benefits equal to or exceeding what we get under LLNS.

Anonymous said...

December 12, 2007 7:14 PM sounds like it we written by someone from LANL defending their increased separation package.

Anonymous said...

December 13, 2007 7:37 AM,

December 12, 2007 7:14 PM here.

You've got me wrong, Bucko, Just trying to shed some light on the question based on past experience.

I wish I had the opportunity to tap into that kind of cash infusion - but I guess I'll just have to settle with the generous 401(k) match (as long as it lasts) and the ability to double-dip.

Anonymous said...

December 14, 2007 11:14 AM

We are always glad to have input here at this blog no matter who has confirmed inside information.

Anonymous said...

"Why do we get less here in California when we live in a higher cost of living area .....?"

Per Contract DE-RP52-05NA25396/DE-AC52-05NA25396
Section J, Personnel Appendix A – Page 7
Section V – Payment on Separation
url: http://www.doeal.gov/laso/NewContract.aspx (12-21-05)

Severance pay benefit:
“… one week’s pay for each year … not to exceed a total of 26 weeks pay.”


Modification A029 at
url: http://www.doeal.gov/laso/ModContract.aspx (dated: 10/16/07)
Severance Payment Schedule A
For those LANL employees that transferred from U.C. to LANS on June 1, 2006
“… not to exceed a total of 39 weeks.”


Soooo if someone (ULM? NNSA?) really wants to … the severance pay
can be change. LLNL should get the same … 39weeks/max.

Anonymous said...

I suggest everyone write his/her Congressman and complain about the difference between LANL and LLNL. When NNSA tried to treat LLNL TCP2 differently than LANL, our Congressmen were able to convince NNSA to change the LLNL contract. Even for those of us who are not interested in taking the VSIP ourselves, the better the deal, the more volunteers will leave, and fewer of us will be involuntarily separated.

Anonymous said...

Many of us who took TCP1 were concerned about the retirement system's still being around in 20 years so we could retire. What we should have been concerned about was whether we would still be around.

Anonymous said...

When the blog was recently reformatted, you left off postings from around 12/17 or so.

Also, what is with the dates? It is not Jan or Feb 2008 yet.

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