I'm a typical LLNL employee. I came to the lab about a decade ago as I was convinced by a friend (maybe not such a friend) to come work here. I went through the interview process, then the "seemed to take forever" hiring process. Nine months after I was hired, I finally received my security clearance - It seemed like a long time to take considering I had a DoD TS at my old company. I was quite happy with the benefits provided by UC even though they did not provide "stock options" as did my old company. I did the math and figured that I could retire a 60 quite comfortably without having to stick about 8% of my pay in the old 401K. Not having to contribute to the 401K meant I had more spending money - something my family really needed for the move to California.
I found over the next few years that LLNL had way too many rules and doing any kind of work was VERY expensive and took way to long to get anything done. I worked on one project that the paperwork just to get started took all the money allocated for the entire project. Needless to say, the sponsor was less than happy and took their business elsewhere.
Flash forward 7 years. There is talk that UC is no longer going to run LLNL. The DoD company I used to work for got things done for a whole lot less money; in a shorter time; and just as safe. I'm thinking that as long as the benefits are the same, that this is a good thing. We are finally going to be competitive! Then the bad news hit. Bechtel won the contract, not Lockheed Martin. From that moment forward, I knew we were screwed. I know that Lockheed, even though they are "for profit" understands that people are important. Bechtel, on the other hand builds houses (ok, a little more than houses, but this is my story). Having family that worked in the construction business, I saw how they were treated. For every job, there were several people standing in line. So, if the foreman did not like you or you made a mistake, you were fired and the next guy in line took your place. If the cost of the house went up (change order), that cost was simply passed on to the customer. There were huge bonuses for ULM for coming in under cost of the bid price of the contract. And those bonuses were always received . . . no matter what the cost was to those doing the work.
The date is now October 2009. LLNS has be running LLNL into the ground for the past 2-years at a pace I never thought possible. Go to the DOE web site and read the RFP. Two of the REQUIREMENTS are to close Superblock and Site 300. The quicker it's done, the more LLNS makes. But, don't believe me, go read the RFP yourself. One of the other requirements, is to reduce the LLNL foot print. If you go to the LLNS web page, you can view the LLNS Annual Report . They actually brag about how well they are meeting their goal and the number of people they've "reduced" in the "workforce restructuring" portion. Face it, Bechtel was brought in to close us down.
So, read the facts and listen to the rumors and decide for yourself.
See you in the unemployment line.
Ben
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15 comments:
Nice summary. But nothing new. Others have said the same. An ignorant workforce keeps hoping otherwise.
Most of us know that LLNL been destroyed. We just come to work for the pay check and don't plan on making any new inventions or doing more then required.
LLNS is getting substantially equivalent effort from us for their substantially equivalent compensation, benefits and motivation.
LLNS has succeeded in encouraging people to turn from excellent or good to mediocre. For those of you who are shaking their head and saying you are lucky to have a job:
You will get fed up eventually.
When you talk to people individually, they are fed up and just cannot wait to either find another job (when the job market improves) or retire. When you put a few in same room, they somehow hide their frustration and say nice things about LLNS. Isn't this hypocrisy?
If more of us spoke the truth without fear of reprisals, we will not be a bunch of "Ben Dovers".
Well your state taxes are going up by 10%, your medical is going up, in my case almost 80% and stand by for higher taxes from national health care that already passed in the house. All this with 0% raises and I'd say you are falling futher and futher behind the eight ball waiting to be sunk in the corner pocket. Oh I forgot one more goddy. Reclassed so as to acquire a pay reduction. Hum baby hum... And they wonder why they can't find good people to come to work for LLNS. Just remember people, it's all good.
Isn't it strange how both LLNS (LLNL) and LANS (LANL) have ended up into the hands of Bechtel as their new manager. Doesn't it strike the scientists left at these national labs as a bit odd that they are being "managed" by a sleazy, politically connected construction company?
I can think of only one good reason for having a company like Bechtel heading up management of the NNSA labs. They know how to handle D&D work (decommissioning and demolition). That's about all that is left of the current "mission".
Hi, Ben Dover!
Meet your new boss, Charles Montgomery Burns (aka Riley Bechtel).
After 25 years at the Lab, I have given up--not left, just gave up. I'll collect my paycheck for a few more years, then enjoy retirement. I really feel sorry for those of you who need to work for the next 20 years. Chances are you won't finish your career at LLNL.
I agree with 8:10, after 32 years I've given up as well. I could careless anymore about all those closed door meetings and really all it would take would be 3 bad days for me to hang it up. at this point, I don't care. Funny though, know body has bothered me for 2 years. I do my job and nothing more. I too feel remose for my fellow employees that think they have a future at this lab.
So what's the pay package and when will pay raise cards be distributed. I want to hear more about this and the bonus checks in leu of pay raises. Who are they going to and for what reason?
I am a manager. I have never had it so good.
"I am a manager. I have never had it so good." - 8:42 PM
I'm a LLNS upper management executive. I'm having it even better than you, 8:42.
What's all this whining about? Life is good!
Who are they going to and for what reason?
October 19, 2009 6:07 PM
You'll never know, 6:07. You work at a "for-profit" LLNS. Salary and bonuses are now considered proprietary information. If the info was released to the public, it would only make all the lab peons furious.
10:14 AM,
actually Lab salaries use to be public because we were UC employees, and as "State of California" public employees, our salaries were required to be made available to the public.
Want to know what people cost get a lab pricer for your division, chances are you will see everyones salary code and get a good sense of what they make.
The big sham in the system is the lab charges based on this salary code, which is usually higher than what the person makes. This allows them to charge an additional fee on top of your salary to help cover the bloated staff, etc.
I am just curious why the sponsors allow them to get away with this stuff! This is not how most companies run.
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