Actual post from Dec. 15 from one of the streams. This is a real topic. As far as promoting women and minorities even if their qualifications are not as good as the white male scientists, I am all for it. We need diversity at the lab and if that is what it takes, so be it. Quit your whining. Look around the lab, what do you see? White male geezers. How many African Americans do you see at the lab? Virtually none. LLNL is one of the MOST undiverse places you will see. Face it folks, LLNL is an institution of white male privilege and they don't want to give up their privileged positions. California, a state of majority Hispanics has the "crown jewel" LLNL nestled in the middle of it with very FEW Hispanics at all!
Comments
Sounds odd. So the person was placed on a performance improvement plan? Why was he placed on this?
Exceptional mediocrity in funding is the mantra. Just do whatever you can to keep the money flowing. The quality of the work is totally optional and often counter-productive. No one is really looking at the quality of the work anyway. Besides, the external and internal reviews can usually just be BS'ed. Anyone. who doesn't get the religion will be punished.
You could be correct. There is near zero incentive for Sandia or other NNSA contractors to work with employees in good faith if they dare speak up on any matter that is not flattering to the contractor. Why? Because the contractor is generally permitted to request and receive 100% NNSA reimbursement for all legal fees and expenses for outside counsel to defend itself, and the contractor can use at will, internal project/task account numbers for hundreds of man-hours worth of charges to develop defense strategies and testimonies that draw funds from its own NNSA awarded operational budget (contract funds). At the same time, contractor profits or award fees remain safe and secure. There have been many high profile lawsuits against NNSA labs that have followed this well polished NNSA funded process. Unless Congress steps in to make material changes to this scenario, expect more of the same.
12/31/2021 7:38 AM
Your scenario is basically the taxpayer being ripped off by high-rolling contributors to Congressmen and Senators (AKA "NNSA contractors"), so don't expect Congress to step in very soon.
Correct. Unless the "revolving door" between NNSA managers, congressman pay offs $, and NNSA contractor leadership "changing of hats", you'll get more of the same, until a major accident occurs. A favorable template of operational practices that will surely lead to accidents for the tax payer down winders.