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Thursday, September 12, 2013
Why is Akima around still?
Why is Akima around still? Seems like with all the policy changes with LLNS they could get rid of Akima. How much money is spent that goes right out the door to Akima shareholders?
46 comments:
Anonymous
said...
So you're saying get rid of all the contract techs and when the time comes for the RIF in Dec 2013 you want them to pick from FTE's. I second that. The first problem however is find FTE's that want to do contract labor work. It's kind of like asking the kids of today to go to the fields and pick the fruits and vegetables. What are the chance of this ever occurring? ZERO ?
Director Parney has failed to address this issue in a timely manner. Yes there are FTEs that could easily replace Akima supplemental labor employees.
Historically, supplemental contract labor were the buffers to budget fluctuations. These were the communicated terms of job stability or "perks" to new hire FTEs.
LLNS managers, in effect, are throwing their fellow FTE brothers "under the bus" by allowing Akima employees to stay on while the future of EIT and EBA FTEs are in serious employment danger.
I guess these LLNS managers rationalize it as "out of my control, so why worry about being complicit". It is sociology 101, no need to be personally responsible in a crowd. What a shame.
In 1982 when as a contract tech with CDI Corporation it was also known contract tech were the first to be out the door on a RIF or when we had budget issues. Now it's just the opposite. LLNS wants all FTE gone except for Phd's and the entire facility to be contract techs. In a way they have what they want when they made all of you "at will" employees and took your UC pension from you. There is really nothing to stay al LLNL for. It's just a job like any other job on the outside world and nothing to be gained by staying. It's for this reason the young will come for 3-5 years, get some experience, and then move on to much better higher paying jobs in the private sector. In about five years the core of people who made LLNL once great will be totally gone. Mission accomplished, Bechtel
Geez such a retro argument in the competition of a world economy.
I or you could be let go and an Akima employee could stay if they have a skillset more applicable to the funding and to help the Lab compete.
Capitalism is a tough system (not always fair) and very competitive but it is also a great system.
Also a by product of Capitalism, when I look at citizens (with all due respect) who are on welfare for generations I see people (with low motivation) who cannot compete in the marketplace because welfare was only meant for temporary help.
Life is not fair my friends (it can be quite competitive at times)and if you think it is fair at your age there is something wrong with you.
I feel really sorry for all you young people in your 30's. If you think the number of people on welfare is high now just wait until that number grows to 70%.
Anonymous said... What?!? There are still technicians at LLNL?
September 13, 2013 at 7:49 AM
Who do you think does all the work. It sure isn't the engineers, scientist. If it wasn't for the technician, designers and the admins that frigging place may as well shut its doors.
"...Akima employee could stay if they have a skillset more applicable to the funding and to help the Lab compete...."
It is difficult to make the above argument when Akima position descriptions are not displayed for all FTEs to see.
No transparency for Akima positions and no transparency (formal postings) for positions filled "under the radar" for LLNS manager buddies.
One cannot support a "skill set" based FTE layoff in a secret employment process environment. The lack of formal assignment postings is a CYA tactic that allows LLNS managers to run open loop. There is no peer review, and by definition the selection pool for best SKA match to the particular assignment is truncated.
LLNS HR has knowingly failed to ensure a good faith employment process framework. Will LLNS HR ineptness be reflected in the next LLNS contract extension report card? Unlikely.
Where is the local NNSA LSO in all this? They are in hibernation until they are again summoned to provide positive input for the next LLNS contract extension.
Senator Dianne Feinstein need look no farther than the NNSA Livermore Site Office (LSO) for LLNS spoon feed contract extension support based on subpar performance. The LSO is in practice an arm of LLNL with NNSA signs on the their doors.
Who do you think does all the work. It sure isn't the engineers, scientist. If it wasn't for the technician, designers and the admins that frigging place may as well shut its doors.
And if not for the scientists and engineers, the doors would have never opened in the first place. We all play important roles, doing different kinds of work.
Yes engineers, technicians, and scientists are the past and future reasons for LLNL being open. Unfortunately too many "I'm in charge of" titled LLNS employees are being paid well above the scientific, engineering, and technical innovators. The S&E innovators are the funding source.
I don't know how much longer the S&E "golden geese" will continue to tolerate this. You need to do more than offer Pandora and iPhones privileges Parney. Really now.
I think a starting point is to find a legally based reason to require all of the federally funded labs to publish their salary lists. It is one tool in a grossly needed feedback loop.
We have college graduate technical innovators reporting to current or former "machine shop" supervisors, superintendents, and others who have never demonstrated engineering innovation in their entire careers, and are not capable of appreciating or comprehending it. It wasn't always this way.
I think a starting point is to find a legally based reason to require all of the federally funded labs to publish their salary lists. It is one tool in a grossly needed feedback loop.
September 14, 2013 at 10:20 AM
You are so clueless. Corporate America does not publish the salaries of its employees, management or not. No one believes the rank and file employees need to know this information. If you were very happy with your salary and your position, neither would you. Stop whining about what others are making and just tend to your own career. If that means leaving LLNL, then just suck it up and go. Man up.
Why is Akima still around? Possibly someone in Bechtel is getting a kickback. Has Akima saved us a bunch of money over the previous labor only contractor?
But it's nice to have a scapegoat, that's why DOE has the NNSA, NNSA has the field offices and the field offices have LLNS and LANS. Crap rolls down hill.
"You are so clueless. Corporate America does not publish the salaries of its employees, management or not. No one believes the rank and file employees need to know this information. If you were very happy with your salary and your position, neither would you. Stop whining about what others are making and just tend to your own career. If that means leaving LLNL, then just suck it up and go. Man up.
September 14, 2013 at 9:29 PM"
True the American people have no right to know where there tax dollars are going. They should be happy that that the even have any money. It is not there concern if it is used wisely or if it is being pillaged. The people that want to know this are not people who can man up. It is time to man up or get out. Take it or bug out. Stop whining. Management is not for everyone, we cannot all be lions. If you are not a lion that live with and shut up get out.
The bottom line is this. It's always been unfair and always will be unfair. If you are not one of the good old boys and learn how to kiss ass at an early age you will not make it in the world. It's sad, but it’s just a fact of life. They are not looking for real men with a backbone, they're looking for politicians and annelids who can make friends with a snake, smile to your face and then stab you for the kill. I.E . Like a nest of Lawyers.
Basically the government and corporate America is this way from the TOP : DOWN. These type of people are all around you. If you stand for anything worthwhile you will never make good money.
It’s all very sickening but you have to know within yourself, you’re correct and you will not bend. This of course is going to stagnate your career but you’ll sleep better knowing you actually stand for what you believe. Again, it hard to soar with eagle when you have to fly with turkeys.
Yes you will be mad and shaking your head asking yourself why do we have so many assholes in the world but it is what it is. Even after retirement I still talk about all the injustices and politics at LLNL to everyone and I’m still expressing my opinion about all the punks I had to work alongside with at that facility. When I meet other retirees from there in public who I knew were good people, they too say pretty much the same thing. They're all glad to be away from the BS and could care less about what happens to that facility. I’m really surprised someone hasn’t gone postal yet.
"...Capitalism is a tough system (not always fair) and very competitive but it is also a great system..."
So you think LLNS was able to extend its contract due to "free market" competitiveness and a good report card? Explain that one to Senator Dianne Feinstein and I bet LLNS will have a senior management position waiting for you.
Remember in the "free market" a company can fail due to mismanagement and superior competition. Is that true of LLNS?
By what set of measures is LLNL better now than when managed by UC?
Back to the Akima question, LLNS HR appears to be repeating employment practices that will ultimately require the services of local attorneys to settle (again).
Years later LLNS had failed to learn "breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing" are binding violations of the law with mucho $$$ consequences and rightly so.
Unlike a private company, when LLNS is pressed to pay out for those damages, they will beg Uncle NNSA to bail them out. Maybe I missed that section in my "free market" studies.
"It’s all very sickening but you have to know within yourself, you’re correct and you will not bend. This of course is going to stagnate your career but you’ll sleep better knowing you actually stand for what you believe. Again, it hard to soar with eagle when you have to fly with turkeys."
Your post is that of an angry bitter person trying to justify yourself. The world has changed and you failed to change with it. You keep on trying to be a horseshoe salesmen when there are horses any more. There are always going to be winners and losers in a free market as it should be. The workers at LLNL thought they could just keep doing their "work" and everything would be fine but the winds have been changing. You should have tried to get into management or try to become very good friends with management. This is how it works in the real world. You can pass all your so called moral judgements you want but they have no meaning or value. In the end you simply succeed or you do not. Because you lost you have no right to judge those that have won. The winners are sleeping better than you because they where smarter than you and accomplished something in life. The test of a man is if he succeeds, so yes the management are real men, true men, and great men. Your whole point about them being corrupt or bad is just an opinion with no more relevance than than your opinion about the your favorite color. The word has changed and change is good. Adapt or die. Man up or get out of the way of those that do man up.
...you should have written PR for Hitler. "the world has changed europe, you need to change with it". Great message.
I went to college in the 80s when all this "it's all relative", there are no better systems, leaders, goals...just different ones, stuff was going around.
Winning doesn't make anything right. By that definition Bernie Madoff was a winner, until he got caught. Ditto serial killers, terrorists, brutal dictators, etc.
According to the rules of the free market, LLNS should have not had the contract renewed. There should be true free competition for the lab mgmt contracts, etc.
These days, most people (ie major corporations) advocating for the free market, want anything but a free market. They want the facade of a free market while they manipulate things behind the scenes.
True free markets are awesome, and very efficient and effective. We should try having some here in the grand old USA...
" ...you should have written PR for Hitler. "the world has changed europe, you need to change with it". Great message."
Oh pleeeze, LLNL and modern corporations are not doing anything illegal or as you would say immoral. You are presenting a straw man argument. If it was 1880 you would say the same thing about how evil steam engines are.
" I went to college in the 80s when all this "it's all relative", there are no better systems, leaders, goals...just different ones, stuff was going around."
Maybe you did not learn anything then. Yes everything is relative, your opinions are crowded by your own human prejudices. You are unhappy with your lot in life so you blame others. It is the same old story over and over again. If you where on to and say a high level LLNL manager you would have a completely different opinion of the situation. Have you ever thought that the only reason you are not a high level manager is because you did not have what it takes? Naww the system is just evil and unfair, boo bloody ho. Now do you understand that everything is relative and everything is perception.
" Winning doesn't make anything right. By that definition Bernie Madoff was a winner, until he got caught. Ditto serial killers, terrorists, brutal dictators, etc."
In many ways winning does make it right and the end and those that win determine what is right. Consider the following winners and losers that you take for granted as correct. Capitalism won because it is right, free markets won because they are right, religious freedom won because they are right, freedom of the press won because it is right. Slavery lost because it is wrong. Communism lost because it was wrong. So it goes with everything including our modern cooperate world. Years from now no one will question weather the modern cooperate world was right or wrong, it will automatically be assumed that it was right and that is why it won. Your comment about Bernie Madoff proves my point...he lost and yes he was wrong.
"Your philosophy of moral relativism is bankrupt."
The bank accounts of those that got it and understand the changing world are not bankrupt. The only thing that is bankrupt are the people who keep clinging to outdated ideas that corporations are bad and horseshoes make money. If you want to play that game then you too can be looked down upon as people that are trapped on the wrong side of history and over the years that includes a lot of people who where not very nice.
Since NIF is the largest employer of Akima contract employees, what is the likely outcome with the NIF 50-80 million dollar FY14 budget shortfall? More NIF layoffs, or a distribution of NIFs budget pain across the lab? Cricket, cricket until the end of September 2013?
Word is LLNS is close to notifying employees of the new EBA lay off policy. When it is announced some EBAs may have already reached the total hour threshold for an individual RIF. Is this correct? Details?
Not making a strawman argument, just applying your philosophy to various situations...in which it breaks down. You're ducking the implications of your philosophy.
LLNL/other corporations break the law constantly. They lose in court quite often. Or is that somehow all relative as well?
My family escaped from a communist country...we've seen things first hand, and we know those types who are complicit very well. You would not be so blithe and relativistic about things if you had some real world experience.
ps I'm not unhappy, bitter, blaming others, etc. How did you get that from a posting objecting to relativism???
Um, you mean "Mission accomplished, Congress" don't you? Who ordered that the contract for managing the two labs be re-opened to competitive bidding?
September 13, 2013 at 7:37 AM
Yeah, Congress is to blame (for MANY other stupid things as well), But also, I blame that SPY Wen Ho Lee for causing Kongress to begin to look at competing the Lab contracts. Hey LANL folks - where is that scumbag nowadays???
My favorite is the two ex-Akima wannabe managers (husband and wife - note: she was his boss)now both employed by the Security Organization!! How can it be the such a highly valued six sigma black belt was not recruited by any other organization at LLNL. Not one organization came out to say...that is the guy we need!! Once you meet him, you'll understand.
"Yeah, Congress is to blame (for MANY other stupid things as well), But also, I blame that SPY Wen Ho Lee for causing Kongress to begin to look at competing the Lab contracts. Hey LANL folks - where is that scumbag nowadays???
September 17, 2013 at 9:01 PM"
Uhh Wen Ho Lee was not convicted for being a spy so you sound kind of like an idiot when you say that. Wen Ho Lee than went on to write book, do a book tour and had a settlement. The lab contracts where going to be competed no matter what because there was just too much money to be made. There are too many lobbyists trying to get every dime they can from congress and had been working on this for many years. If Wen Ho Lee did not do some other thing would have, they had to make it happen.
September 18, 2013 at 6:35 AM - Most of that is simply not true. Lobbyists and money-grubbing had little to do with competing the LANL & LLNL contract. It was a combination of Congressional group-think regarding the advantages of privatization, and a series of very public embarrassing/illegal activities by LANL (e.g. LANL credit cards being used frequently at local sporting goods stores, etc.) Wen Ho Lee was just another one of those events. All those events taken together made it impossible for Congress to support the labs.
Wen Ho Lee was found "not guilty." He was not found "innocent." Many people in the DOE, DoJ, LANL, etc. know the real truth. The DOE simply chose to cut it's losses in regard to classified information being made public in open court in order to obtain a conviction. End of story, except of course for the question of where the stolen design information actually wound up.
"Wen Ho Lee was found "not guilty." He was not found "innocent." Many people in the DOE, DoJ, LANL, etc. know the real truth. The DOE simply chose to cut it's losses in regard to classified information being made public in open court in order to obtain a conviction. End of story, except of course for the question of where the stolen design information actually wound up.
September 18, 2013 at 7:22 PM"
I am calling BS on you, ya sure all those people know the real truth but just cannot say anything. Not guilty means just that NOT GUILTY. But you comrade know the real truth! You would make make a great Stasi agent. Well I got news for communists scum like you who do not believe in the American justice system, your side lost. Communism, secret police and kangaroo courts don't work.
"So anyone who knows more than you do is full of BS? You must have been a joy to teach in school. Explains why you apparently didn't learn much.
September 19, 2013 at 9:17 AM"
Товарищ Comrade, yes I believe you know more the court system. Yes as a random poster on a blog it is clear that you know what you are talking about. We should trust what you have to say because you have no agenda whatsoever. One is simply guilty either gets away with it or not. As always the individual are guilty or are not guilty only the party is innocent.
September 19, 2013 at 7:19 PM - You misinterpreted my statement of fact as a wish that it was otherwise. I think the bar for conviction should be high, and that it is better to let some guilty people go in order to avoid convicting innocents.
But recognizing that our system works that way, you have to agree that "not guilty" can be different from "innocent". I don't claim to know which category Wen Ho falls into. But some here believe he is "not guilty" rather than "innocent"
Regarding WHL, keep in mind that he was not found "not guilty" of any of the 58 counts against him. He pleaded guilty to one count of mishandling classified information, and the other 57 counts were dropped by the government. He was then released by Judge Parker. Innocence or guilt on those 57 counts was never determined. Let's not try to rewrite history on this blog, as some are wont to do.
Anonymous said... " September 19, 2013 at 7:19 PM - You misinterpreted my statement of fact as a wish that it was otherwise. I think the bar for conviction should be high, and that it is better to let some guilty people go in order to avoid convicting innocents.
But recognizing that our system works that way, you have to agree that "not guilty" can be different from "innocent". I don't claim to know which category Wen Ho falls into. But some here believe he is "not guilty" rather than "innocent"
September 20, 2013 at 12:43 PM"
" "not guilty" can be different from "innocent"." False
Innocent means not guilty. There is no difference between not guilty and innocent. You have heard of innocent until proven guilty have you not? That means innocent. There are no to ways about it. America is a real bitch sometime. The system is designed to guard against people just like you.
"But some here believe he is "not guilty" rather than "innocent""
Sounds like he is innocent. And yes you can throw out extreme cases like OJ is by this definition innocent. The Duke lacrosse players are also innocent but one can always decide to say they simply not guilty. This is why the courts decide not idiots on blogs.
"But some here believe he is "not guilty" rather than "innocent""
"not guilty" can be different from "innocent"." False
September 20, 2013 at 8:03 PM
It is not false at all. You ignore many decades, even centuries, of jurisprudence. "Not guilty" means the prosecution has not proven the charges against the defendant. No court ever finds anyone "innocent" since that would mean the defendant was proven to not have committed the crime. The old saying applies - "you can't prove a negative." Failure to prove guilt does not equal proof of innocence. That's not a very hard piece of logic to get. You must be a person who was accused of a crime and found "not guilty" who would like to believe you are innocent. Sorry it doesn't work like that. "Innocent" is between you and your God, if any.
Comrade, you have a point. Everyone is not found guilty in a court is not innocent but simply simply not provably guilty. However it seems very self serving to than go to imply that certain people must actually be guilty but just got away with it. You personally are not court and you do not decide and you do not know. END OF STORY.
Regarding WHL, keep in mind that he was not found "not guilty" of any of the 58 counts against him. "He pleaded guilty to one count of mishandling classified information, and the other 57 counts were dropped by the government. He was then released by Judge Parker. Innocence or guilt on those 57 counts was never determined. Let's not try to rewrite history on this blog, as some are wont to do.
September 20, 2013 at 2:41 PM"
We was not found guilty of being a spy. The government may of dropped those counts because they realized they did not have a case. The whole they cut there losses is heresy and does not pass the smell test in any case. Why charge the person in the first place if this was true, why go through the trails with all the other spys over the years. The same argument applies and they would dropped the charges in to cut their losses as well. Lets apply Occams razor, the simplest explanation is that they did not have a case. Finley if you are legit than after being in the system for many years you should know that when people brag about how they "know" things that most of the time it is only rumors, nth-hand information, bs, and nonsense. Hell all you have to do is read this blog to know this.
You state an opinion that is shared by most people who were not intimately involved in the case. Within the DOE, DoJ, and CIA, there are some who know the real story and many who don't. I would simply point out that if the cause were simply "no case," then in the years since, much more information and details would have been discovered. The fact that the government has never publicly discussed or detailed its reasons might suggest to you that the details are still classified.
Can we get back to the Akima topic please. Rumor is NIF to cut another ~100 matrix (non-Akima) employees within 3 months to address budget cuts. Some may have jobs lined up just before or during the purge, but most will likely be placed on the EIT list for processing.
The new "at will" status of FTEs (no Akima or seniority buffer) is impacting a growing list of career employees. During the next "all hands" maybe this concern will rise to the top of the question list instead of bicycle helmets.
What was the response of SPSE to the November '12 "at will" and other LLNS employment changes? Did LLNS dodge their inquiries or just say "it is what it is".
"The fact that the government has never publicly discussed or detailed its reasons might suggest to you that the details are still classified.
September 21, 2013 at 8:54 AM"
Or there no details. Again why did the not drop charges against all the other espionage case and only this one? Sorry this does not pass the smell test and I am calling BS on on you. Also the whole I have friends who know friends that are in the know is also bs. Ya I also hear that CIA, FBI and higher level people know the real truth about the alien and ufo research. There are people in these organizations that know the truth about this but cannot talk same is true of Wen Ho Lee. I guess you should know about how it is all secret what really happened that is why you are posting on a blog that you really know. BS all around so just buzz off.
Just unable to handle the fact that you aren't privy to everything, huh? Your pathetic labeling of everyone who knows more than you as "BS" is typical of the uneducated.
"Just unable to handle the fact that you aren't privy to everything, huh? Your pathetic labeling of everyone who knows more than you as "BS" is typical of the uneducated.
46 comments:
So you're saying get rid of all the contract techs and when the time comes for the RIF in Dec 2013 you want them to pick from FTE's. I second that. The first problem however is find FTE's that want to do contract labor work. It's kind of like asking the kids of today to go to the fields and pick the fruits and vegetables. What are the chance of this ever occurring? ZERO ?
Director Parney has failed to address this issue in a timely manner. Yes there are FTEs that could easily replace Akima supplemental labor employees.
Historically, supplemental contract labor were the buffers to budget fluctuations. These were the communicated terms of job stability or "perks" to new hire FTEs.
LLNS managers, in effect, are throwing their fellow FTE brothers "under the bus" by allowing Akima employees to stay on while the future of EIT and EBA FTEs are in serious employment danger.
I guess these LLNS managers rationalize it as "out of my control, so why worry about being complicit". It is sociology 101, no need to be personally responsible in a crowd. What a shame.
September 12, 2013 at 7:53 PM
In 1982 when as a contract tech with CDI Corporation it was also known contract tech were the first to be out the door on a RIF or when we had budget issues. Now it's just the opposite. LLNS wants all FTE gone except for Phd's and the entire facility to be contract techs. In a way they have what they want when they made all of you "at will" employees and took your UC pension from you. There is really nothing to stay al LLNL for. It's just a job like any other job on the outside world and nothing to be gained by staying. It's for this reason the young will come for 3-5 years, get some experience, and then move on to much better higher paying jobs in the private sector. In about five years the core of people who made LLNL once great will be totally gone. Mission accomplished, Bechtel
Um, you mean "Mission accomplished, Congress" don't you? Who ordered that the contract for managing the two labs be re-opened to competitive bidding?
What?!? There are still technicians at LLNL?
Geez such a retro argument in the competition of a world economy.
I or you could be let go and an Akima employee could stay if they have a skillset more applicable to the funding and to help the Lab compete.
Capitalism is a tough system (not always fair) and very competitive but it is also a great system.
Also a by product of Capitalism, when I look at citizens (with all due respect) who are on welfare for generations I see people (with low motivation) who cannot compete in the marketplace because welfare was only meant for temporary help.
Life is not fair my friends (it can be quite competitive at times)and if you think it is fair at your age there is something wrong with you.
I feel really sorry for all you young people in your 30's. If you think the number of people on welfare is high now just wait until that number grows to 70%.
Anonymous said...
What?!? There are still technicians at LLNL?
September 13, 2013 at 7:49 AM
Who do you think does all the work. It sure isn't the engineers, scientist. If it wasn't for the technician, designers and the admins that frigging place may as well shut its doors.
"...Akima employee could stay if they have a skillset more applicable to the funding and to help the Lab compete...."
It is difficult to make the above argument when Akima position descriptions are not displayed for all FTEs to see.
No transparency for Akima positions and no transparency (formal postings) for positions filled "under the radar" for LLNS manager buddies.
One cannot support a "skill set" based FTE layoff in a secret employment process environment. The lack of formal assignment postings is a CYA tactic that allows LLNS managers to run open loop. There is no peer review, and by definition the selection pool for best SKA match to the particular assignment is truncated.
LLNS HR has knowingly failed to ensure a good faith employment process framework. Will LLNS HR ineptness be reflected in the next LLNS contract extension report card? Unlikely.
Where is the local NNSA LSO in all this? They are in hibernation until they are again summoned to provide positive input for the next LLNS contract extension.
Senator Dianne Feinstein need look no farther than the NNSA Livermore Site Office (LSO) for LLNS spoon feed contract extension support based on subpar performance. The LSO is in practice an arm of LLNL with NNSA signs on the their doors.
Who do you think does all the work. It sure isn't the engineers, scientist. If it wasn't for the technician, designers and the admins that frigging place may as well shut its doors.
And if not for the scientists and engineers, the doors would have never opened in the first place. We all play important roles, doing different kinds of work.
Yes engineers, technicians, and scientists are the past and future reasons for LLNL being open. Unfortunately too many "I'm in charge of" titled LLNS employees are being paid well above the scientific, engineering, and technical innovators. The S&E innovators are the funding source.
I don't know how much longer the S&E "golden geese" will continue to tolerate this. You need to do more than offer Pandora and iPhones privileges Parney. Really now.
I think a starting point is to find a legally based reason to require all of the federally funded labs to publish their salary lists. It is one tool in a grossly needed feedback loop.
We have college graduate technical innovators reporting to current or former "machine shop" supervisors, superintendents, and others who have never demonstrated engineering innovation in their entire careers, and are not capable of appreciating or comprehending it. It wasn't always this way.
I think a starting point is to find a legally based reason to require all of the federally funded labs to publish their salary lists. It is one tool in a grossly needed feedback loop.
September 14, 2013 at 10:20 AM
You are so clueless. Corporate America does not publish the salaries of its employees, management or not. No one believes the rank and file employees need to know this information. If you were very happy with your salary and your position, neither would you. Stop whining about what others are making and just tend to your own career. If that means leaving LLNL, then just suck it up and go. Man up.
Why is Akima still around? Possibly someone in Bechtel is getting a kickback. Has Akima saved us a bunch of money over the previous labor only contractor?
But it's nice to have a scapegoat, that's why DOE has the NNSA, NNSA has the field offices and the field offices have LLNS and LANS. Crap rolls down hill.
"You are so clueless. Corporate America does not publish the salaries of its employees, management or not. No one believes the rank and file employees need to know this information. If you were very happy with your salary and your position, neither would you. Stop whining about what others are making and just tend to your own career. If that means leaving LLNL, then just suck it up and go. Man up.
September 14, 2013 at 9:29 PM"
True the American people have no right to know where there tax dollars are going. They should be happy that that the even have any money. It is not there concern if it is used wisely or if it is being pillaged. The people that want to know this are not people who can man up. It is time to man up or get out. Take it or bug out. Stop whining. Management is not for everyone, we cannot all be lions. If you are not a lion that live with and shut up get out.
September 14, 2013 at 10:38 PM
The bottom line is this. It's always been unfair and always will be unfair. If you are not one of the good old boys and learn how to kiss ass at an early age you will not make it in the world. It's sad, but it’s just a fact of life. They are not looking for real men with a backbone, they're looking for politicians and annelids who can make friends with a snake, smile to your face and then stab you for the kill. I.E . Like a nest of Lawyers.
Basically the government and corporate America is this way from the TOP : DOWN. These type of people are all around you. If you stand for anything worthwhile you will never make good money.
It’s all very sickening but you have to know within yourself, you’re correct and you will not bend. This of course is going to stagnate your career but you’ll sleep better knowing you actually stand for what you believe. Again, it hard to soar with eagle when you have to fly with turkeys.
Yes you will be mad and shaking your head asking yourself why do we have so many assholes in the world but it is what it is. Even after retirement I still talk about all the injustices and politics at LLNL to everyone and I’m still expressing my opinion about all the punks I had to work alongside with at that facility. When I meet other retirees from there in public who I knew were good people, they too say pretty much the same thing. They're all glad to be away from the BS and could care less about what happens to that facility. I’m really surprised someone hasn’t gone postal yet.
"...Capitalism is a tough system (not always fair) and very competitive but it is also a great system..."
So you think LLNS was able to extend its contract due to "free market" competitiveness and a good report card? Explain that one to Senator Dianne Feinstein and I bet LLNS will have a senior management position waiting for you.
Remember in the "free market" a company can fail due to mismanagement and superior competition. Is that true of LLNS?
By what set of measures is LLNL better now than when managed by UC?
Back to the Akima question, LLNS HR appears to be repeating employment practices that will ultimately require the services of local attorneys to settle (again).
Years later LLNS had failed to learn "breach of contract and breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing" are binding violations of the law with mucho $$$
consequences and rightly so.
Unlike a private company, when LLNS is pressed to pay out for those damages, they will beg Uncle NNSA to bail them out. Maybe I missed that section in my "free market" studies.
"It’s all very sickening but you have to know within yourself, you’re correct and you will not bend. This of course is going to stagnate your career but you’ll sleep better knowing you actually stand for what you believe. Again, it hard to soar with eagle when you have to fly with turkeys."
Your post is that of an angry bitter person trying to justify yourself. The world has changed and you failed to change with it. You keep on trying to be a horseshoe salesmen when there are horses any more. There are always going to be winners and losers in a free market as it should be. The workers at LLNL thought they could just keep doing their "work" and everything would be fine but the winds have been changing. You should have tried to get into management or try to become very good friends with management. This is how it works in the real world. You can pass all your so called moral judgements you want but they have no meaning or value. In the end you simply succeed or you do not. Because you lost you have no right to judge those that have won. The winners are sleeping better than you because they where smarter than you and accomplished something in life. The test of a man is if he succeeds, so yes the management are real men, true men, and great men. Your whole point about them being corrupt or bad is just an opinion with no more relevance than than your opinion about the your favorite color. The word has changed and change is good. Adapt or die. Man up or get out of the way of those that do man up.
...you should have written PR for Hitler. "the world has changed europe, you need to change with it". Great message.
I went to college in the 80s when all this "it's all relative", there are no better systems, leaders, goals...just different ones, stuff was going around.
Winning doesn't make anything right. By that definition Bernie Madoff was a winner, until he got caught. Ditto serial killers, terrorists, brutal dictators, etc.
Your philosophy of moral relativism is bankrupt.
I'm 100% for the free market.
According to the rules of the free market, LLNS should have not had the contract renewed. There should be true free competition for the lab mgmt contracts, etc.
These days, most people (ie major corporations) advocating for the free market, want anything but a free market. They want the facade of a free market while they manipulate things behind the scenes.
True free markets are awesome, and very efficient and effective. We should try having some here in the grand old USA...
I am sorry to say this but I think some of you (my friends and co-workers) would be complaining ANY PLACE you were working at.
The bottom line is actually relative (a word I dislike).
We STILL have it better at LLNS then 95% of the companies out there.........in my opinion.
" ...you should have written PR for Hitler. "the world has changed europe, you need to change with it". Great message."
Oh pleeeze, LLNL and modern corporations are not doing anything illegal or as you would say immoral. You are presenting a straw man argument. If it was 1880 you would say the same thing about how evil steam engines are.
" I went to college in the 80s when all this "it's all relative", there are no better systems, leaders, goals...just different ones, stuff was going around."
Maybe you did not learn anything then. Yes everything is relative, your opinions are crowded by your own human prejudices. You are unhappy with your lot in life so you blame others. It is the same old story over and over again. If you where on to and say a high level LLNL manager you would have a completely different opinion of the situation. Have you ever thought that the only reason you are not a high level manager is because you did not have what it takes? Naww the system is just evil and unfair, boo bloody ho. Now do you understand that everything is relative and everything is perception.
" Winning doesn't make anything right. By that definition Bernie Madoff was a winner, until he got caught. Ditto serial killers, terrorists, brutal dictators, etc."
In many ways winning does make it right and the end and those that win determine what is right. Consider the following winners and losers that you take for granted as correct. Capitalism won because it is right, free markets won because they are right, religious freedom won because they are right, freedom of the press won because it is right. Slavery lost because it is wrong. Communism lost because it was wrong. So it goes with everything including our modern cooperate world. Years from now no one will question weather the modern cooperate world was right or wrong, it will automatically be assumed that it was right and that is why it won. Your comment about Bernie Madoff proves my point...he lost and yes he was wrong.
"Your philosophy of moral relativism is bankrupt."
The bank accounts of those that got it and understand the changing world are not bankrupt. The only thing that is bankrupt are the people who keep clinging to outdated ideas that corporations are bad and horseshoes make money. If you want to play that game then you too can be looked down upon as people that are trapped on the wrong side of history and over the years that includes a lot of people who where not very nice.
September 15, 2013 at 11:48 AM
Since NIF is the largest employer of Akima contract employees, what is the likely outcome with the NIF 50-80 million dollar FY14 budget shortfall? More NIF layoffs, or a distribution of NIFs budget pain across the lab? Cricket, cricket until the end of September 2013?
Word is LLNS is close to notifying employees of the new EBA lay off policy. When it is announced some EBAs may have already reached the total hour threshold for an individual RIF. Is this correct? Details?
Not making a strawman argument, just applying your philosophy to various situations...in which it breaks down. You're ducking the implications of your philosophy.
LLNL/other corporations break the law constantly. They lose in court quite often. Or is that somehow all relative as well?
My family escaped from a communist country...we've seen things first hand, and we know those types who are complicit very well. You would not be so blithe and relativistic about things if you had some real world experience.
ps I'm not unhappy, bitter, blaming others, etc. How did you get that from a posting objecting to relativism???
Um, you mean "Mission accomplished, Congress" don't you? Who ordered that the contract for managing the two labs be re-opened to competitive bidding?
September 13, 2013 at 7:37 AM
Yeah, Congress is to blame (for MANY other stupid things as well), But also, I blame that SPY Wen Ho Lee for causing Kongress to begin to look at competing the Lab contracts. Hey LANL folks - where is that scumbag nowadays???
My favorite is the two ex-Akima wannabe managers (husband and wife - note: she was his boss)now both employed by the Security Organization!! How can it be the such a highly valued six sigma black belt was not recruited by any other organization at LLNL. Not one organization came out to say...that is the guy we need!! Once you meet him, you'll understand.
"Yeah, Congress is to blame (for MANY other stupid things as well), But also, I blame that SPY Wen Ho Lee for causing Kongress to begin to look at competing the Lab contracts. Hey LANL folks - where is that scumbag nowadays???
September 17, 2013 at 9:01 PM"
Uhh Wen Ho Lee was not convicted for being a spy so you sound kind of like an idiot when you say that. Wen Ho Lee than went on to write book, do a book tour and had
a settlement. The lab contracts where going to be competed no matter what because there was just too much money to be made. There are too many lobbyists trying to get every dime they can from congress and had been working on this for many years. If Wen Ho Lee did not do some other thing would have, they had to make it happen.
September 18, 2013 at 6:35 AM - Most of that is simply not true. Lobbyists and money-grubbing had little to do with competing the LANL & LLNL contract. It was a combination of Congressional group-think regarding the advantages of privatization, and a series of very public embarrassing/illegal activities by LANL (e.g. LANL credit cards being used frequently at local sporting goods stores, etc.) Wen Ho Lee was just another one of those events. All those events taken together made it impossible for Congress to support the labs.
Wen Ho Lee was found "not guilty." He was not found "innocent." Many people in the DOE, DoJ, LANL, etc. know the real truth. The DOE simply chose to cut it's losses in regard to classified information being made public in open court in order to obtain a conviction. End of story, except of course for the question of where the stolen design information actually wound up.
"Wen Ho Lee was found "not guilty." He was not found "innocent." Many people in the DOE, DoJ, LANL, etc. know the real truth. The DOE simply chose to cut it's losses in regard to classified information being made public in open court in order to obtain a conviction. End of story, except of course for the question of where the stolen design information actually wound up.
September 18, 2013 at 7:22 PM"
I am calling BS on you, ya sure all those people know the real truth but just cannot say anything. Not guilty means just that NOT GUILTY. But you comrade know the real truth! You would make make a great Stasi agent. Well I got news for communists scum like you who do not believe in the American justice system, your side lost. Communism, secret police and kangaroo courts don't work.
The courts are designed to avoid convicting the innocent- that's their highest objective. Very different from "always covict the guilty." Just ask OJ.
I am calling BS on you, ya sure all those people know the real truth but just cannot say anything.
September 18, 2013 at 8:10 PM
So anyone who knows more than you do is full of BS? You must have been a joy to teach in school. Explains why you apparently didn't learn much.
"Anonymous Anonymous said...
The courts are designed to avoid convicting the innocent- that's their highest objective. Very different from "always covict the guilty." Just ask OJ.
September 19, 2013 at 8:09 AM"
I agree our systems is shameful and horrible. The USSR system was much better. Wen Ho Lee and OJ would have not been so lucky in Mother Russia.
"So anyone who knows more than you do is full of BS? You must have been a joy to teach in school. Explains why you apparently didn't learn much.
September 19, 2013 at 9:17 AM"
Товарищ Comrade, yes I believe you know more the court system. Yes as a random poster on a blog it is clear that you know what you are talking about. We should trust what you have to say because you have no agenda whatsoever. One is simply guilty either gets away with it or not. As always the individual are guilty or are not guilty only the party is innocent.
до свидания
September 19, 2013 at 7:19 PM - You misinterpreted my statement of fact as a wish that it was otherwise. I think the bar for conviction should be high, and that it is better to let some guilty people go in order to avoid convicting innocents.
But recognizing that our system works that way, you have to agree that "not guilty" can be different from "innocent". I don't claim to know which category Wen Ho falls into. But some here believe he is "not guilty" rather than "innocent"
September 20, 2013 at 12:43 PM
Regarding WHL, keep in mind that he was not found "not guilty" of any of the 58 counts against him. He pleaded guilty to one count of mishandling classified information, and the other 57 counts were dropped by the government. He was then released by Judge Parker. Innocence or guilt on those 57 counts was never determined. Let's not try to rewrite history on this blog, as some are wont to do.
Anonymous said...
" September 19, 2013 at 7:19 PM - You misinterpreted my statement of fact as a wish that it was otherwise. I think the bar for conviction should be high, and that it is better to let some guilty people go in order to avoid convicting innocents.
But recognizing that our system works that way, you have to agree that "not guilty" can be different from "innocent". I don't claim to know which category Wen Ho falls into. But some here believe he is "not guilty" rather than "innocent"
September 20, 2013 at 12:43 PM"
" "not guilty" can be different from "innocent"." False
Innocent means not guilty. There is no difference between not guilty and innocent. You have heard of innocent until proven guilty have you not? That means innocent. There are no to ways about it. America is a real bitch sometime. The system is designed to guard against people just like you.
"But some here believe he is "not guilty" rather than "innocent""
Sounds like he is innocent. And yes
you can throw out extreme cases like OJ is by this definition innocent. The Duke lacrosse players are also innocent but one can always decide to say they simply not guilty. This is why the courts decide not idiots on blogs.
"But some here believe he is "not guilty" rather than "innocent""
Some are lying sacks of crap with an agenda.
"not guilty" can be different from "innocent"." False
September 20, 2013 at 8:03 PM
It is not false at all. You ignore many decades, even centuries, of jurisprudence. "Not guilty" means the prosecution has not proven the charges against the defendant. No court ever finds anyone "innocent" since that would mean the defendant was proven to not have committed the crime. The old saying applies - "you can't prove a negative." Failure to prove guilt does not equal proof of innocence. That's not a very hard piece of logic to get. You must be a person who was accused of a crime and found "not guilty" who would like to believe you are innocent. Sorry it doesn't work like that. "Innocent" is between you and your God, if any.
"September 20, 2013 at 8:49 PM"
Comrade, you have a point. Everyone
is not found guilty in a court is not innocent but simply simply not provably guilty. However it seems very self serving to than go to imply that certain people must actually be guilty but just got away with it. You personally are not court and you do not decide and you do not know. END OF STORY.
Regarding WHL, keep in mind that he was not found "not guilty" of any of the 58 counts against him. "He pleaded guilty to one count of mishandling classified information, and the other 57 counts were dropped by the government. He was then released by Judge Parker. Innocence or guilt on those 57 counts was never determined. Let's not try to rewrite history on this blog, as some are wont to do.
September 20, 2013 at 2:41 PM"
We was not found guilty of being a spy. The government may of dropped those counts because they realized they did not have a case. The whole they cut there losses is heresy and does not pass the smell test in any case. Why charge the person in the first place if this was true, why go through the trails with all the other spys over the years. The same argument applies and they would dropped the charges in to cut their losses as well. Lets apply Occams razor, the simplest explanation is that they did not have a case. Finley if you are legit than after being in the system for many years you should know that when people brag about how they "know" things that most of the time it is only rumors, nth-hand information, bs, and nonsense. Hell all you have to do is read this blog to know this.
September 21, 2013 at 8:26 AM
You state an opinion that is shared by most people who were not intimately involved in the case. Within the DOE, DoJ, and CIA, there are some who know the real story and many who don't. I would simply point out that if the cause were simply "no case," then in the years since, much more information and details would have been discovered. The fact that the government has never publicly discussed or detailed its reasons might suggest to you that the details are still classified.
Can we get back to the Akima topic please. Rumor is NIF to cut another ~100 matrix (non-Akima) employees within 3 months to address budget cuts. Some may have jobs lined up just before or during the purge, but most will likely be placed on the EIT list for processing.
The new "at will" status of FTEs (no Akima or seniority buffer) is impacting a growing list of career employees.
During the next "all hands" maybe this concern will rise to the top of the question list instead of bicycle helmets.
What was the response of SPSE to the November '12 "at will" and other LLNS employment changes? Did LLNS dodge their inquiries or just say "it is what it is".
This is why the courts decide not idiots on blogs.
September 20, 2013 at 8:03 PM
And just who do you suppose gets selected for the jury?
"The fact that the government has never publicly discussed or detailed its reasons might suggest to you that the details are still classified.
September 21, 2013 at 8:54 AM"
Or there no details. Again why did the not drop charges against all the other espionage case and only this one? Sorry this does not pass the smell test and I am calling BS on on you. Also the whole I have friends who know friends that are in the know is also bs. Ya I also hear that CIA, FBI and higher level people know the real truth about the alien and ufo research. There are people in these organizations that know the truth about this but cannot talk same is true of Wen Ho Lee. I guess you should know about how it is all secret what really happened that is why you are posting on a blog that you really know. BS all around so just buzz off.
BS all around so just buzz off.
September 21, 2013 at 8:50 PM
Just unable to handle the fact that you aren't privy to everything, huh? Your pathetic labeling of everyone who knows more than you as "BS" is typical of the uneducated.
"Just unable to handle the fact that you aren't privy to everything, huh? Your pathetic labeling of everyone who knows more than you as "BS" is typical of the uneducated.
September 21, 2013 at 9:23 PM"
Why should we believe you are privy to anything?
Why should we believe you are privy to anything?
September 22, 2013 at 9:44 AM
No one cares what you believe. No one posting anonymously can prove anything. The truth is much more important. I know it, you don't.
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