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Why does it matter so much to the rank-and-file LLNL worker who has the
contract? It's way above your level. LANL and LLNL will continue forever
as rent-speakers - receiving billions every year to "certify" Cold War
relics. Meanwhile, someone else will have to figure out how to fight
ISIS, deal with Putin, etc.
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Anonymous said...
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"Why does it matter so much to the rank-and-file LLNL worker who has the contract? It's way above your level."
It didn't matter, and we paid no attention to it, until the contract change. Then it started really mattering because it had huge daily impact down at the worker level:
1) A bunch of unqualified, unthinking, yes-men/women have been systematically put into leadership positions. Mostly, these are people that don't have other options and therefore the management has leverage on them.
2) The most talented, intelligent, creative and productive individuals (in terms of both science and bringing funds in) have been relentlessly harassed until they left of their own accord or (where that didn't work) were forced out.
3) The entire culture has been transformed from one of getting smart, productive things accomplished...to one of shutting up, going along with ridiculousness, etc otherwise you face reprisals.
So, no, I didn't care who had the contract (or even who managed the place in the upper rungs) until it started severely impacting our ability to do productive, quality work for the nation.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Why does it matter ?
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2 comments:
"1) A bunch of unqualified, unthinking, yes-men/women have been systematically put into leadership positions. Mostly, these are people that don't have other options and therefore the management has leverage on them."
"Leverage on them" is an understatement. If these hand picked "leaders" were to be identified, who do you think would correct the situation?
Why does it matter so much to the rank-and-file LANL worker who has the contract? Quite simply, we are the ones who have invested our careers here because we thought that we were doing important work. It didn't matter, and we paid no attention to it, until the contract change. Then it started really mattering because it had huge daily impact down at the worker level:
1) A bunch of unqualified, unthinking, yes-men/women have been systematically put into leadership positions. Mostly, these are people that don't have other options and therefore the management has leverage on them. And when the screw up, the jump back to their corporate positions. Since the contract, many Bechtel and URS thugs arrived, screwed things up, cost a dreiculous amount of money, and then waltz out with a pat on the back.
2) The most talented, intelligent, creative and productive individuals (in terms of both science and bringing funds in) have been relentlessly harassed until they left of their own accord or (where that didn't work) were forced out. Those that remain get secured funding through LDRD or some other institute which gets its money from the redicilous overhead.
3) The entire culture has been transformed from one of getting smart, productive things accomplished...to one of shutting up, going along with ridiculousness, etc otherwise you face reprisals. You get blackballed for speaking up.
So, no, we didn't care who had the contract (or even who managed the place in the upper rungs) until it started severely impacting our ability to do productive, quality work for the nation. People are considered the most important resource at LANL. It's too bad that they are not managed that way. Instead we are a resource that can be replaced at a whim.
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