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Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Layoffs Then and Now

Jeff Colvin’s excellent perspectives on “Layoffs Then and Now” at LLNL can be found in our monthly memo for May at http://www.upte.org/spse/201305MM.pdf.

Also, we invite you to the latest in our noontime talk series:

Ending an Era By Growing Your Take Home Pay

A Panel Discussion Including:       

Bill Smith, SPSE-UPTE Secretary
Jeff Colvin, SPSE-UPTE Legislative Director
Kevin Aguilar, SPSE-UPTE Chief Bargainer
Steve Balke, UPTE Executive Board Representative
Jim Wolford, SPSE-UPTE Chief Steward

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Building 543, Auditorium Room 1001
Noon to 1:00 p.m.

Please feel free to contact us.

Thank you,

Riki Gay, President (outgoing)
SPSE-UPTE Local 11
spse@spse.org

38 comments:

J-Dog said...

I am only going to the union meeting if this guy in the link is there.

http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/05/28/NY-Union-Workers-Fed-Up-with-Bosss-2-Hour-Work-Day

UPTE in 10 years.

Anonymous said...

give it a rest. We all know you don't like unions. So move on.

J-Dog said...

Yes,
we all want a GED graduate union punk telling Dr. Parney and managers how to run a National Laboratory.

Try to get outside that union mentality parasitical viewpoint and stand on your own two feet.
I know it is hard for you to be self reliant, but I believe in you that you can make it outside the collective.

Oh time for my union mandated 45 minute coffee break.

Anonymous said...


I find it ironic when people who "work" at an entity which is basically a big parasite feeding at the gov trough, criticize unions for doing the same.

Do I like unions? No, because that would be yet another layer of parasitism on top of the Lab itself, the LLC, and the ever-growing set of do-nothings floating around on overhead.

I'm all for criticizing unions, but if you see what they do as any different than what the other layers I outlined above do, you're deluding yourself.

Anonymous said...


ps Ditto for all the references to socialism, the collective, etc. The labs, are at this point, socialism personified. Again, if you can't see that, you're deluding yourself.

Anonymous said...

It's weird to hear jdog keep going on about how he hates unions, because on this forum he is preaching to the choir. It's just the poor reasoning and illogic behind his rant that is most offensive. There are better ways to point out what is wrong with unions than to harp about his union mandated break which is one if the least important problems that unions bring about for generally low wage positions.

Anonymous said...

That GED graduate punk would have something to say about how to get his work done safely. And Parney would appreciate that kind of input. Parney is a smart guy. Jdog's ranting is just rubbish to Parney, not worthy of second thought. Maybe if he made constructive suggestions for how to fix problems would be more useful to Parney and management.

J-Dog said...

So if you think any head of a Corporation does not hate Unions I ask you to consider who is delusional.

The proof absolutely is the locally the closing of Numi which is Toyotas only unionized plant.
The proof nationally is the very long list of COrporations that build there plants ONLY in Right to Work states.

Here is a partial list,

The most recent example is Kubota Tractor just built a new plant in Georgia a Right to Work state.
Here is a list of manufacturers that have built plants in Right to Work states,

- Boeing
- Toyota
- Kubota
- Nissan
- VWagon
- Isuzi
- Suburu
-the list goes on and on.

My opinion is that the new Apple factory will be built in a Right to Work state (but we will see).

Those are facts and I would do the same.

Sorry the Union only allows me to work a few hours a day so it is time for my next coffee break!!!

Anonymous said...

I saw this at the same website.
Over 50% of some union members left the unions in some Wisconsin unions when they were not required to have dues taken out of their paychecks.
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/04/09/Steep-Decline-in-Wisconsin-Public-Union-Membership

Hmmmm...why is that?

Anonymous said...

Yes the problem if unions in the auto industry is well known and believe me, you are preaching to the choir. Is upte a big problem at the lab? Are union wages far above market levels? Is there specific union waste? Is the union looking out for the interest of the members? Are union leaders abusing their position for their own personal interests? Those are the types of questions that can help push for reforms.

Anonymous said...

Dearest J-Dog,
I read some of your comments and begin to believe that you are a super arrogant Ph.D, or a not-even- graduated-from-high-school, or a supremely-ill-mannered-person, or a frog at the bottom of the well, OR a combination of all these and more...
Anyway, the readers and bloggers of this LLNL-The True Story deserve to read opinion of a real person, whether he/she has a Ph.D. or did not graduate from High school.
Opinions of a so call "J-Dog" are just that, just opinion of a dog. Please excuse my language, but it has been hard to see you bashing the fine SPSE organization at the LLNL.
It is time to set the records straight. Whether you like or dislike the SPSE, the organization is here to stay to defend disadvantaged employees, and unionized employees.
Good for you if you are already out of the LLNL. But if you are still at the LLNL; one of those days, I hope you will come to one of the officers of the SPSE, begging for his/her helps. I am sure with an attitude of an officer and a gentleman, he/she will treat you with respect, for your job would be on the line, and the SPSE will defend you while putting his/her job on the line to defend you, even a J-Dog such as you are.

Anonymous said...

June 12, 2013 at 4:57 PM:

Ad hominem attacks are the last refuge of scoundrels without a real argument, or sometimes, the first tactic employed by liberals who have no logical argument at all but their orthodoxy.

Anonymous said...


Both parties have a lot of orthodoxy and not much logical argument.

btw: you didn't provide any logical argument

Anonymous said...

Typical union deflections in some of the comments.
They never answer the real questions that are in the above comments (obviously there is no defense)
about the overwhelming evidence that unions are not only corrupt but the reason Stockton claimed bankruptcy or part of the problem California is in so much debt (inflated construction projects, like the HSpeed rail is a union only project, PLA).

Anonymous said...

I heard the Director and Lab managers need some help running the Lab they are not sure how to do it and have turned to the brain trust at UPTE for help.

Yes the UPTE scientific think tank.

Wow that isn't even funny it is sort of sad.

Anonymous said...

Above comment describes perfectly a union mentality syndrome(as described by the AMA).
Ok that's enough work for now lets take a break.

Anonymous said...

The union mentality syndrome (UMS) as described in a n AMA pamphlet is described as,
- a parasite brought to the United States by accident from mother Russia.
- once attached to the host company the parasites suck the life out of the host company until the company closes (Hostess, NUMI, Detroit, Steel mills, teachers).
- The head of the parasite is called in Latin, HS dropout sactum and usually is involved in thugism.
The AMA is still looking for a cure but it is rumored that this perscription can chase away the parasites,
1) Actual work.
2) Only 1/2 hr lunch and 15 minute breaks
3) Acting independently
40 Standing on their own two feet
-

Anonymous said...

So I see no serious problems being laid out ith regards to upte or spse. I have heard over the years that both organizations are fairly open, transparent and well run. I only know that from hearsay. Jdog you are free to refute that as you are more knowledgeable about it and an actual member of upte. I'm definitely interested in hearing if there are specific problems or concerns that need to be addrressed. With regards to the long breaks, people like machinists, or even administrative people benefit from these breaks. Particularly for workers using dangerous machinery or tools, it gives them opportunity to get a mental reset and to prevent situations where accidents are caused by fatigue from continuous work.

Anonymous said...

Jdog can't find a single legitimate problem with upte. But unions do have serious problems, jdog being one of them. He is routinely Posting on anonymous blogs while on the clock, outside of his " union mandated break periods." That is grounds for terminations which would be made easier if the unions were not there to protect him. Jdog is just a troll. No evidence, just drivel and ranting. Real loser.

Anonymous said...

Jdog is just a troll. No evidence, just drivel and ranting. Real loser.

June 13, 2013 at 7:33 AM

There you go again.

Anonymous said...

Well, here it is again. Jdog is a loser because his only reasons for complaints against upte relate to ramblings of union problems in dissimilar industries. In fact he cannot list a single legitimate problem with upte. What you probably have is someone who is just projecting his own problems and lack of work performance onto others, using the unions as a pretext for covering up his own failures. That is typical self-delusion.

Anonymous said...

Actually I agree with many of his opinions, but his shoddy reasoning specific to upte is an invitation for ridicule until he steps up with something more substantial.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Dearest J-Dog,
I read some of your comments and begin to believe that you are a super arrogant Ph.D, or a not-even- graduated-from-high-school, or a supremely-ill-mannered-person, or a frog at the bottom of the well, OR a combination of all these and more...


Speaking of people who don't have PhDs, there was already another topic on this in a previous post about Sandia:

http://llnlthetruestory.blogspot.com/2013/05/hey-lanl-and-sandia.html

The list of people on that list is huge!

Anonymous said...

To all the union haters:
Where did your vacation come from?
Who stopped child labor?
Who brought you the 40 hour work week?

Oh yes, it was the Koch brothers, or was it Carnegie? Or maybe Wall Street?
Nah, it was Bechtel.

Looking forward to all the flames coming. Have fun.

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to all the flames coming. Have fun.

June 14, 2013 at 4:21 PM

So what? 75 years ago something good happened because of unions? So what? What use are they now? NONE. Unless you count paying dues to someone who will spend them on something political you don't believe in. What a sick joke in today's world. Federal regulations now protect everything unions take credit for, or claim to want to protect workers from. There is a good reason why less than 15% of the private workforce is unionized, and less than 25% of the government workforce. Unionism is a dinosaur, unnecessary and outdated. There is also a good reason why major corporations are relocating to right-to-work states. Do you not agree that people have a right to a job while choosing not to join a union?

Anonymous said...

and what's the point to bring it up on a forum read by mostly phds and other professionals who are non-exempt?

Anonymous said...

You meant to say "exempts." But yes, we don't care about the plight of non-exempts. After all, they have the herd (union) to look after them.

Anonymous said...

June 14, 2013 at 7:26 PM

Federal regulations now protect everything unions take credit for, or claim to want to protect workers from. There is a good reason why less than 15% of the private workforce is unionized, and less than 25% of the government workforce.


And the reason that we have no pensions anymore, the vacation times have been reduced over the years, (Lanl offers now 3 weeks),
the pay is stagnant?
All because of the unions; or could it just be because of the decline of the unions. Maybe , just maybe?

One day you will wake up, and the corporations will tell you, either you work also on Sa and Su, no vacations anymore, or we send the work to China. Then I want to see all your politicians help protect the federal regulations. Have you read the latest Cantor attack on the fair labor act?

Probably not. Ignorance is bliss.




and what's the point to bring it up on a forum read by mostly phds and other professionals who are non-exempt?

June 15, 2013 at 1:38 AM

This is really sweet. Do you actually see the hypocrisy in your argument? After countless union bashing arguments you then have the nerve to tell me that my contribution should not be here. that is right out of Stalin's textbook. Guess you really miss the old USSR


Anonymous said...

The number of workers with old-style defined-benefit pension plans in the US is very low and shrinking, as is the number with more than 3 weeks paid vacation. Unions are not going to bring those back. It's like expecting the dinosaurs to bring back the woolly mammoths. The world changes. Adapt or die.

Anonymous said...

The world changes. Adapt or die.

Couldn't agree more!

If you want more than 3 weeks vacation per year, take time off without pay! And if your employer won't allow that, find another job.

You ALWAYS have choices. Don't expect others to figure out and do what's best for you; make the choices that are right for you.

It's not complicated or even very hard. It's lilfe in the adult world.

Anonymous said...

That stupid blabla about choices. Good grief, the ignorance here is beyond the pale.

Ask all the kids who finished college and now have not been able to get a job about their choices.
Or the people who got laid off with 58 and are still trying to find a job.

Yes, they all have so many choices in your adult life. I sincerely hope you will get into this position one day, maybe then it will dawn on you what nonsense you write.

But in your twisted world it is all the union's fault. Good grief.


Of course none of you have responded to any of my arguments, I am just getting the Koch party line.

Anonymous said...

It makes a lot more sense than the Michael Moore party line.

Anonymous said...

The US Gini coefficient is slowly moving towards greater income inequality. Unions can't be blamed for that, they just slow down the process which is inevitable - more outsourcing of jobs, more automation, and a lower-middle class with fewer and fewer job opportunities. Unions can't fight for jobs that just "poof" disappear.

Anonymous said...

Hey June 16, 2013 at 6:31 AM:

I don't know a SINGLE college grad who got a marketable degree who does not have a job. Again, it's choices: if you major in English, history, theatre, basket weaving, etc, then you've made a bad choice (if getting a good-paying job is important to you). Adults have to live with their choices.

Anonymous said...

June 17, 2013 at 11:43 AM

Hear, Hear!!

Anonymous said...

June 17, 2013 at 11:43 AM
I don't know a SINGLE college grad who got a marketable degree who does not have a job.


Not surprising for someone who lives in assisted living. As I said
Ignorance is bliss

Anonymous said...

Nice to hear that from an expert

Anonymous said...

Especially when the expert is a combination of Hitler and Mao. In the 1960s, Mao enacted the communist cultural revolution by destroying art and literature and forcing professors to be farmers. Hitler ordered books on art and literature to be burned. So our expert believes that being an adult that makes good choices is being like Hitler and Mao. I hope this moron took the VSP.

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