LLNS may have excluded the wrong people in last VSSOP? The exclusions were based on outdated job categories and related skills. ULM are now thinking that in the future, job categories and functional areas will have to be re-defined. The next VSSOP/ISP will be based on the new categories and functional areas. The questions I have are: 1) Why didnt they think of that before the transition. It seems like their style is “change things as you go”. Planning is out the window! 2) Who will give input on the new changes? The next RIF apparently is going to be more lucrative than the VSSOP. Depending on the length of employment, a RIFed person, not only gets their 1 week pay per year of service but also from 30 to 120 days notice, essentially 30 to 120 days pay. Please feel free to comment on the rumors or add new ones you actually heard.
Comments
August 24, 2017 at 4:47 PM
One story is that Bechtel is dumping people at LANL that they want to get rid of. It saves severance pay or something like that. Not that many years ago we had to get rid of people in several volunteer separations actions, now we are hiring like crazy. Soothing does not add up. Who are all these people, they sure are not technical staff.
August 24, 2017 at 6:29 PM
Do you even have a clue how many Bechtel people there are at the Lab? (I'll give you a hint, less than 200)
Since LANS has been deemed a failure and is on the way out is it a really a good idea to allow them to hire people that will serve until 2030? That could mean we will be stuck with LANS issues until 2030. Maybe NNSA should tell them you are only allowed very limited hiring at this point so that the next contractor could have a chance to improve things.
August 26, 2017 at 12:37 PM
THey won't be allowed to RIF 3000. Political nightmare. Requires DOE approval and some sense of need. LANL is not in a reduction mode. So yes, you are stuck with the LANS hires. The dirty secret is the actual non-UC contract partners only have about 500 people at the lab (Bechtel, AECOM, BWXT) out of 8000. Those are the only ones who may leave.
August 26, 2017 at 2:11 PM
Wrong. Anyone close to retiring "may leave" depending on how seriously crappy the new contract is. Mess with my retirement or health care, and I'm gone, years before I wanted to be, but good riddance.
August 27, 2017 at 5:51 PM
Don't let the door hit your ass on your way out. You can be replaced 10 timers over by someone who will do your job cheaper. Hell if they never show up to work than it will be safer and more secure so PBIs are ensured. LANS does not get paid to do thing it only gets paid when it doesn't do certain things. If we stick to this model than why should anyone care who is hired or who retires?
August 27, 2017 at 11:39 PM
You may have missed the news that LANS is out as the M&O contractor? And that NNSA is accepting bids from both for profit and not for profit bidders?