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Home campaign inappropriate?

Anonymously contributed:

LLNL has announced that it will make a large corporate donation to this years HOME charity campaign. I am a strong supporter of the HOME campaign and have made personal contributions, along with thousands of other employees, yearly over my 30-year career. A corporate donation seems particularly inappropriate this year.

This year the lab has downsized the workforce by about 2000 people including involuntary layoffs. Lab retirees have been notified that many older than 65 will loose the safety net of their group medical plan. After being told that ongoing staff and benefit reductions are necessary because of funding shortfalls, it seems totally irresponsible for management to make a donation up to $1 million of taxpayers money to outside agencies particularly when dedicated employees and retirees are suffering from these cuts. Selection of elderly retirees to be the first group to loose group medical coverage also seems particularly mean-spirited and disrespectful.

In my opinion, the lab contains talented, dedicated individuals with irreplaceable knowledge critical to our national security. They deserve to be treated with respect, not the bureaucratic humiliations described above.

Comments

Anonymous said…
The home campaign has always been a big insult to me and I suspect others too. Now, more so then ever. I've always felt it was inappropriate for management to solicit workers for donations (which used to get pretty ugly at times). I will decide, without input from LLNS or anyone else, how much and to whom I will make charitable contributions.

Before I would ever consider any sort of donation from my rapidly dwindling income I think LLNS should consider giving a helping hand to the 2000 former employees the kicked out the gate. That would be a refreshing start to the home campaign wouldn't it?

One more thought I would like to express to management and the home campaign in general..feed on my shorts.

Thank you.
Anonymous said…
I agree. They did this last year and there excuse was "this money is coming out of a different pot." Money is money. It's time to help employees old and new.
Anonymous said…
Not a chance of a donation this year. It's the SOS as last year but worse. Can't give when you don't get a raise big enough to cover the cost of living and produce that went up due to oil prices and are never going to come back down. A 1% raise in what should have been a 20% year, HOME can start making reservations for me. I'd suggest you again let ULM tak up the slack. They can afford it especially when their salaries are about 300% more than they should be.
Anonymous said…
hear, hear. LLNL giving away tax payers money and then asking the work force (in some cases its more than asking) to donate so that they can look better to the local community.

Individuals should know there are many ways to give time and money within the local community without having to do it through LLNS.
Anonymous said…
"God helps those who help themselves"
and ULM has certainly helped themselves.
Anonymous said…
I donate more than ever to various charities, but no longer through the Home campaign.
Anonymous said…
Forget about Home/United Way.

Roll up your sleeves and do the charity work yourself. That way there is zero overhead cost, you get to know the people you help, and get to poke a finger in GM's eye to boot.
Anonymous said…
Why are you people still working for tyrants? Either rise up and boot them all out or cast your vote with your feet by leaving the lab.
Anonymous said…
November 4, 2008 9:57 PM said.....
"Why are you people still working for tyrants? Either rise up and boot them all out or cast your vote with your feet by leaving the lab."

Good question. I did......I left before the whole mess started. Why you stay is your fault and problem. Easier to complain and whine than do something about it, I suppose.

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