tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post3812198815778508234..comments2024-03-27T20:42:17.293-07:00Comments on LLNL - The True Story -: Justice for All Requires A Contract for All By SPSE-UPTE StewardsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger42125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-77375221395204031362015-03-08T04:37:14.711-07:002015-03-08T04:37:14.711-07:00The sad truth is that 11:16 actually believes what...The sad truth is that 11:16 actually believes what he is saying.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-43366670157584857072015-03-07T21:27:23.721-08:002015-03-07T21:27:23.721-08:00Thinking requires more effort than you may care to...Thinking requires more effort than you may care to apply.<br /><br />March 7, 2015 at 3:07 PM<br /><br />Not thinking requires no effort at all. Which is the amount of effort it requires to regurgitate talking points. Yawn. To spend time thinking in response to a satirical post is the ultimate waste of time. The inability to recognize sophisticated and subtle humor is perhaps the most glaring shortcoming of most scientists. Arrested development.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-17722061990333655382015-03-07T15:07:30.118-08:002015-03-07T15:07:30.118-08:00"...I just knew some clueless person would in..."...I just knew some clueless person would insist on taking March 7, 2015 at 11:16 AM seriously. Now he's laughing his ass off at your gullibility. Damn..."<br /><br />Not much for lucid and sincere exchanges? FYI: I think the response to 11:16am was for the benefit of others, most of which are not "clueless". Thinking requires more effort than you may care to apply. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-20097362990447999992015-03-07T14:46:30.441-08:002015-03-07T14:46:30.441-08:00I just knew some clueless person would insist on t...I just knew some clueless person would insist on taking March 7, 2015 at 11:16 AM seriously. Now he's laughing his ass off at your gullibility. Damn.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-69776981377248252482015-03-07T13:22:54.400-08:002015-03-07T13:22:54.400-08:00"...They are hard working, ethical people tha..."...They are hard working, ethical people that have made huge sacrifices for an ungrateful workforce that is often at odds with the strategic leadership..."<br /><br />True, most lab managers are indeed ethical people. Unfortunately most managers remain in "good standing" or are "promotion material" by near absolute allegiance to their fellow managers, a fraction of whom are clearly not ethical. That is how the "strategic leadership" boat floats, and the transition to LANSLLNS has made the "good old boy" culture here an order of magnitude worse. <br /><br />Yes ethical managers can have "unrewarding" or stressful careers and increasingly so over time. There is a difference however, between not meeting a programatic deliverable type "stress", and onlooking while an employee is not worked with in good faith "stress". The former being a sincere effort, and the latter being something to rationalize or validate. <br /><br />"... When things go wrong managers take the brunt of the punishment.."? No the employees get the worst of it and they are usually cross-threaded with management for the rest of their careers if not fired. On the other hand, involved managers will rapidly recover and move up the career ladder with handsome salaries along the way. The only exception is if the manager's conduct was so demonstrable that senior management (or higher senior management) is forced to act. In such cases the manager in question is ushered out with kindness and with preservation of his or her reputation as best possible. At least before the DOE IG comes knocking. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-81483161072543434642015-03-07T12:55:54.371-08:002015-03-07T12:55:54.371-08:00March 7, 2015 at 11:16 AM
HAHAHAHAHA!!! Good one!...March 7, 2015 at 11:16 AM<br /><br />HAHAHAHAHA!!! Good one! You've got the paternal, condescending, scolding tone just right, and the slight hint of long-suffering sacrifice is perfect! A true master of fine-crafted irony and understated, yet devastating, sarcasm. Bravo!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-28765209128940070872015-03-07T11:16:27.687-08:002015-03-07T11:16:27.687-08:00"You offer a typical LANSLLNS top-down respon..."You offer a typical LANSLLNS top-down response in that all issues are the fault of subpar worker bees, where management never has ownership. Answering truthfully is not your thing or its just not your objective.<br /><br />March 5, 2015 at 7:27 AM"<br /><br />Before you bash management you have to remember that we have a very ingrained culture at the labs. Cultures are the hardest thing in the world to change We are talking about up to 50-60 years of pure neglect where the workforce was allowed to run uncontrolled. It will take many years until this culture is cleaned up and you don't change horses in midstream. Is management perfect...no, however our management doing a heroic effort under the constraints of huge cultural problems, all the while still trying to deal with DOE, NNSA, Federal and State rules. Being a manager at the NNSA labs is very hard, demanding, and a unrewarding job. They are hard working, ethical people that have made huge sacrifices for an ungrateful workforce that is often at odds with the strategic leadership. When things go wrong it is the managers that take the brunt of the punishment even when they had nothing to do with it. This goes with the territory and they can take what you can dish out but just keep these thing in mind. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-32194753224814362962015-03-06T05:46:59.994-08:002015-03-06T05:46:59.994-08:00March 5, 2015 at 7:27 AM
Yes!March 5, 2015 at 7:27 AM<br /><br />Yes!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-19893481865305283432015-03-05T07:27:23.086-08:002015-03-05T07:27:23.086-08:00"...For the whiners, complainers, and incompe..."...For the whiners, complainers, and incompetents, it is all they have to talk about..."<br /><br />Yes it is the LLNS "whiners" that created the 1-8 trend line above, and of course it is the LANS "whiners" that created out of thin air the Beth Sellers Deputy Director scandal, and the WIPP mess. Clearly the business operations at LANS are stellar. The LANS 90% award fee haircut is just another "whiner" imaginary construct. <br /><br />You offer a typical LANSLLNS top-down response in that all issues are the fault of subpar worker bees, where management never has ownership. Answering truthfully is not your thing or its just not your objective.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-86449073834432253532015-03-04T20:09:26.996-08:002015-03-04T20:09:26.996-08:00These are all of no concern to employees who have ...These are all of no concern to employees who have carried out their assigned jobs competently and have been rewarded for doing so. For the whiners, complainers, and incompetents, it is all they have to talk about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-82417827019976923982015-03-04T09:28:56.861-08:002015-03-04T09:28:56.861-08:00The trend line at LLNL post 2007 under LLNS manage...The trend line at LLNL post 2007 under LLNS management:<br /><br />1. Questionable employment practices have increased<br /><br />2. Employee morale is lower across the board<br /><br />3. Employment benefits have eroded<br /><br />4. Manager-Employee relations are increasingly polarized <br /><br />5. Staff Relations, under new management, has become increasingly hostile to employees <br /><br />6. Programatic efficiency is lower<br /><br />7. DOE/NNSA recognize a new Contractor business model is needed at LLNL and LANL <br /><br />8. The DOE IG is busy investigating concerns raised<br /><br />What about the LANL trend line under LANS management for 1-8 above? <br /><br />Some will assert that any employee raising concerns related to 1-8 above, must be "poor performers" that don't want to recognize their own failures. Would that include Senior HQ DOE and Senior HQ NNSA Managers you think? <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-75765234368015199742015-03-04T08:24:24.402-08:002015-03-04T08:24:24.402-08:00My responses are not limited to the use of unions,...My responses are not limited to the use of unions, they are however an important part of the resources available to lab employees.<br /><br />Never stated behavior was "bad'. This was an<br />anti-union, pro-LANSLLNS management response <br />floated in the attempt to universally discredit any <br />employee seeking a lab resource for assistance. <br /><br />Many accomplished individuals materially supporting lab programs have earned their success, not success measured by mere political appointment. On occasion for concerns raised in the workplace, these individuals have elected to seek out union support, HR, Staff Relations, DOL, or other employee resources as needed. By taking such steps these people, your coworkers, are "taking responsibility for making their professional career a success". Sorry your trap question didn't work, but you have unintentionally, made a good point. Sometimes individuals must take direct ownership of workplace issues and attempt to resolve them to make their professional career a continued success. Thanks this point was missing.<br /><br />Your universal assertion that all lab employees seeking assistance are "under performers" is false. In regard to steps needed to reduce the future need of employee resources to address workplace concerns, you dodged the important question below:<br /><br />"Which way are we trending with LANSLLNS? Answer truthfully."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-1685345196801918182015-03-03T21:59:27.743-08:002015-03-03T21:59:27.743-08:00There are numerous examples of lab managers and la...There are numerous examples of lab managers and lab employees lacking appropriate college credentials or without material SKAs <br /><br />You do not excuse your own bad behavior by pointing to others' bad behavior. Unions tend to protect everyone they suck up dues from, from underperformance. Fix that, and you fix the need for unions. Not to mention, you didn't answer March 3, 2015 at 8:19 PM's question: Whose responsibility is it to make your professional (or personal) life a success? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-28705587945629420092015-03-03T21:11:42.043-08:002015-03-03T21:11:42.043-08:00"...No, the "observations" were not..."...No, the "observations" were not close at all to any reality..."<br /><br />Not close to any reality? Who isn't being truthful? There are numerous examples of lab managers and lab employees lacking appropriate college credentials or without material SKAs "lumped in" with contributors and doing just fine here. <br /><br />Your formula book for success has merit, but it has a few chapters missing. On occasion, employees may need resources to address workplace issues. <br /><br />The best thing we can do is to continually refine our employment practices, work environment, etc., to make the need for those resources a rare occurrence. Which way are we trending with LANSLLNS? Answer truthfully. <br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-36815753227920771902015-03-03T20:19:27.526-08:002015-03-03T20:19:27.526-08:00The observations were a little too close for you t...The observations were a little too close for you to digest maybe?<br /><br />March 3, 2015 at 7:45 PM<br /><br />No, the "observations" were not close at all to any reality. The question stands: Whose responsibility is it to make your professional (or personal) life a success? Answer truthfully.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-59157837534155419242015-03-03T19:45:17.231-08:002015-03-03T19:45:17.231-08:00"...Yeah yeah. Obviously it is someone else&#..."...Yeah yeah. Obviously it is someone else's fault. Never your own, never accept personal responsibility for your plight. Always blame someone else for your failure to make your professional (personal?) life a success. Whose responsibility was it to make that happen anyway??..."<br /><br />A little heavy don't you think? Raw nerve? The observations were a little too close for you to digest maybe? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-88136795324077266862015-03-03T19:09:45.541-08:002015-03-03T19:09:45.541-08:00Yeah yeah. Obviously it is someone else's faul...Yeah yeah. Obviously it is someone else's fault. Never your own, never accept personal responsibility for your plight. Always blame someone else for your failure to make your professional (personal?) life a success. Whose responsibility was it to make that happen anyway??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-57035648258296390882015-03-03T15:33:47.089-08:002015-03-03T15:33:47.089-08:00There are many "cliques" at the lab that...There are many "cliques" at the lab that need not follow the "perform and be rewarded" path. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-59842093603469487592015-03-03T13:54:48.797-08:002015-03-03T13:54:48.797-08:00"...So all those competent, experienced, valu..."...So all those competent, experienced, valuable employees who don't need or want unions are "coddled" by management? I would say they are rewarded by management for their performance, as it should be. And as you would be too, if you cared to perform..."<br /><br />There is not one recipe for success as described above. There are low performers that are under the wing of management and thus rewarded anyway. Some of whom are managers themselves and have little to no valuable SKAs who are under the wing of their managers, or are "in tow" upward as their superiors move up. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-30707468102674383022015-03-03T10:39:19.882-08:002015-03-03T10:39:19.882-08:00Agree with 9:58. Unions protect those who under...Agree with 9:58. Unions protect those who underperform, lumping them with those who actually deserve raises and promotions. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-11011817199963379902015-03-03T09:58:58.831-08:002015-03-03T09:58:58.831-08:00Those that Management coddles.
March 3, 2015 at 2...Those that Management coddles.<br /><br />March 3, 2015 at 2:49 AM<br /><br />So all those competent, experienced, valuable employees who don't need or want unions are "coddled" by management? I would say they are rewarded by management for their performance, as it should be. And as you would be too, if you cared to perform. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-67797608209071812692015-03-03T09:55:42.948-08:002015-03-03T09:55:42.948-08:00one wouldn't advise a women that was a victim ...one wouldn't advise a women that was a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace to "leave and find good employment elsewhere" as the exclusive solution to address the problem.<br /><br />March 2, 2015 at 10:36 PM<br /><br />Um, there are laws against sexual harassment. If you believe that only a union can protect you from unlawful behavior on the part of your employer, then who protects you when you are away from the job?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-23334985290825111342015-03-03T02:49:06.892-08:002015-03-03T02:49:06.892-08:00It still doesn't look favorable for a Union. ...It still doesn't look favorable for a Union. Unfortunately, there is strong opposition at the Labs by two strong coalitions: 1. Management 2. Those that Management coddles. Until one of those coalitions changes their opposition (not likely Management) the strong opposition will remain, simple as that. It was disappointing that when the Labs went "profit" the Lab workers sat idle losing benefits, pay, freedom of speech, etc. with absolutely NO REPRESENTATION.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-21416639872336904782015-03-02T22:36:40.978-08:002015-03-02T22:36:40.978-08:00"...if employees are not "subpar," ..."...if employees are not "subpar," then if they feel put-upon, they have alternatives that preserve their self-respect and professional standing that will allow them the option to simply leave and find good employment elsewhere..."<br /><br />Sounds simple enough, but when applied it doesn't always make sense or demonstrate empathy for our fellow coworkers. For example, one wouldn't advise a women that was a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace to "leave and find good employment elsewhere" as the exclusive solution to address the problem. Furthermore, such a plan may simply enable additional workplace sexual harassment acts without consequence. There are times when addressing a problem straight up is the right thing to do union or not. To do so doesn't mean the person raising the concern has no self-respect or will somehow lower their professional standing by coming forward. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5936951073896589340.post-34513519483063273382015-03-02T20:49:22.221-08:002015-03-02T20:49:22.221-08:00Your assertion is the Contractor is never in the w...Your assertion is the Contractor is never in the wrong, therefore the employee must be subpar. <br /><br />March 2, 2015 at 8:15 PM<br /><br />Not at all. My assertion is that regardless of the contractor's merits or otherwise, if employees are not "subpar," then if they feel put-upon, they have alternatives that preserve their self-respect and professional standing that will allow them the option to simply leave and find good employment elsewhere without subverting themselves to the "governance" of a union. It is a simple concept, that pro-union people seem never able to admit or realize. If you are a competent, experienced professional, you have no need of union "protection." You have mobility and, hopefully, self-respect.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com