Anastasio all-employee meeting this afternoon
Laboratory Director Michael Anastasio plans to update employees this afternoon about several matters, including workforce restructuring and the fiscal year 2008 budget.The all-employee talk is scheduled to begin at 1:15 p.m. in the National Security Sciences Building Auditorium and will be shown live on LABNET Channel 9. Employees also can watch the talk in the Physics Building Auditorium, or other auditorium or conference rooms with LABNET capability, and on desktop computers using Real Media Stream and IPTV technology.
The NSSB is now Q-cleared only. Click here to see the Security Smart on new access requirements for the NSSB.
20 comments:
After 450 voluntaries depart, LANL should be down to ~400 involuntary RIFs. If Mike announces higher numbers today, LANS/DOE have hidden agendas.
Last month Udall stated outright that this action is due to the ~100 million dollar per year cost of acquiring LANS.
1/7/08 8:51 AM,
Of course Udall would say that. He wouldn't want to admit any complicity in creating budget uncertainty, would he?
As I understand it, a lot of the $170M (?) annual fee and GRT cost of LANS management have already been recovered by previous belt-tightening actions. These savings persist. If an annual cost has been saved once, do we have to keep saying that the entire amount must be recovered all over again?
I think there are other costs that are entering into current actions, including flat budget with inflation, positioning for future budget reductions, more flexibility to pay for things other than salaries (like executive bonuses!), desire to churn the workforce, and perhaps other hidden agendas.
No matter what, the LANS burden is outrageous.
Predict no involuntary RIFs for remainder of FY after going through LT and contractor cuts.
"If an annual cost has been saved once, do we have to keep saying that the entire amount must be recovered all over again?"
I would guess that an annual cost must be saved annually.
"Predict no involuntary RIFs for remainder of FY after going through LT and contractor cuts." - 10:31 AM
Unfortunately, that will just set us up for more involuntary RIFs in FY09. I would much rather see the pain of the RIFs this year and then be done with it for awhile. LANL badly needs some time to start healing or we are going to end up seeing more good staff walk out the door to better jobs.
"or we are going to end up seeing more good staff walk out the door to better jobs"
Are there any good ones left?
News brief - meeting has been "postponed" until tomorrow due to inclement weather, but the bastards were too cheap to close the Lab any earlier than 2 pm.
"Are there any good ones left?"
A few, but many of them are already starting to shop around for new jobs. The exodus is going to accelerate if things don't begin to improve.
Anastasio all-employee meeting postponed
Updated at 11:58 a.m.
Laboratory Director Michael Anastasio's all employee meeting has been postponed until Tuesday, weather permitting. More information about the rescheduled time will be forthcoming.
1/7/08 12:27 PM "A few, but many of them are already starting to shop around for new jobs. The exodus is going to accelerate if things don't begin to improve."
Don't you realize that this is what Mike, Wallace, Bishop, Neu, and Seestrum want? This makes their lives easier if people just leave. No hard decisions to make.
"Predict no involuntary RIFs for remainder of FY after going through LT and contractor cuts."
I think wrong. 1)they have probably already let go all the contractors they can. Any contractors left are their cronies 2)they won't touch a lot of the limited terms because they were hired to fill "critical" positions and/or the positions were filled by their cronies or wives or husbands and they all take care of their own.
I think he is going to announce that the original 750 number is now actually 850 based on recent budget issues. That they are trying to stay ahead of the '09 budget. That this will be a stop gap until mid summer when they will let an additional 800 go based on either a continued flat budget (based on '08 which is less than 07, etc) or a much reduced 09 budget based the trend. And finally, don't get too comfortable because you all are expendable.
The Tuesday All-Hands is shaping up to be an important event. Saw the following from management:
Be sure to listen to the Directors All-Hands today, at 1:15pm in the NSSB Auditorium, when he will announce his decisions on any immediate and future plans for Workforce Restructuring. He will also discuss the budget for FY08 and steps underway to prepare for next year and beyond. Moving systematically toward a sustainable strategic program portfolio for National Security remains the Laboratories most important focus.
"And finally, don't get too comfortable because you all are expendable." - 1/7/08 1:06 PM
Boy, isn't that the truth! There will be no safety zones in the clusterf*ck that is about to hit LANL. Only management positions at the highest levels will be exempt from the threat of layoffs. If you think it is ugly now, just wait until FY09 unfolds. We are heading toward at least a 20% reduction in the work force and it will be happening at a much faster rate than most people anticipate. Forget about the attrition solution because that won't be fast enough to cover for what is coming our way.
Isn't LANS wonderful? Isn't it about time for them to throw the big mid-winter party with hot apple cider and cookies and lotsa photos to show how happy everyone is? And oh yeah---keep up those recruiting efforts!!
1/7/08 11:37 AM wrote:
"I would guess that an annual cost must be saved annually."
Nice try, but you misread it. I said "an annual [i.e., every year] cost has been saved". I did not say one time cost saving. To clarify it, I said "These savings persist." Specifically, if you let go 400 contractors and don't rehire them, they are gone.
10:28 PM,
Yes, but these contractors were fixing the toilets. Eventually we'll run out of working toilets and someone will need to take a crap. Then what?
Seriously, LANS can only defer maintenance so long before the place completely grinds to a halt. These "savings" can't continue indefinitely, hence layoffs.
I agree, 11:09 PM. It certainly is important to be able to take a crap. :) And it doesn't hurt to have the lights on while you are doing it.
Some computer support people were laid off also. We have no control over our computers anymore.
Concur is another sterling example of a false economy.
How many other examples can we name?
Don't bring up all the niggly problems like no plumbing and a reimbursement system that won't allow you to get reimbursed. You'll get hammered for not focusing on the important issues. Like what kind of car Doris Heim drives.
Besides, as Sue Seestrom says: If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem.
Guess who is taking the trash out now at LLNL?
> Besides, as Sue Seestrom says: If
> you're not part of the solution,
> you're part of the problem.
Well, obviously Sue is no scientist. If she were, she'd know that if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the precipitate.
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