Whoa!

Well, we have sent a demand to bargain to the boss. He and the other two bosses, the Chief and the Direct Supe, are treating it like a 9/11 attack. They feel that it was a personal attack. I seriously doubt if they had read the Collective Bargaining agreement. Had a long conversation with the Chief after work yesterday. He kept saying we should have ghone to him. Well, maybe. But he did not come to us. Understand, there is a great deal of suspicion and distrust that goes on here. Staff and Union are very nervous about the potential to contract out the jobs on the site. The fact that there has been no message from anyone abouit why there is contracting and how far it will go, has any only fcuieled the suspicions. The Union, rightly, issued the demand to bargain only to be informed. Management isn't communicating. Hopefully, this will make them sit down and explain, not necessarily consult, what is going to happen to us.

Contracting Out

The Prez just told me today that the Super is contracting out part of my job to an outside source! First thing Tuesday, The prez will issue a demand to bargain. I seriously think that the attempt here is to phase out a major part of the job that we do at the site. Bad news.

Saturday

Taking the day off on leave. Schedule for the next pay period was never posted so, no one has any idea whwre their assigned duty will be for the next two weeks. The Direct Supe used to be a colleague and now is the boss. He has not, however done everythinmg on time. He is a good man. But not someone whop can get things doen on time. That is a problem when it comes to government. He has also said things to staff members that could have, and perhaps should have, got him into major trouble with the Union. I think he is a good guy, but he needs training. He has had none of it and it is overwhelming him sometimes.

Speaking of training. Just on Wednesday I went to talk with another superviser in the site. He, like my own boss, was appointed in the position. He has had no training whatsoever at all. We were going to talk about an evaluation. In fact the employee who was evaluated was one of the two employees we filed the ULP on. Still, we sat down and talked. It turns out, this supe only gave two senetneces on the 4 part critical elements listed. I asked him why, and it was clear that he was embnarassed about it. He had no answer and stammered something about being a "nice guy" and wanting to treat everyonme with a clean slate. Again, like my own boss, I know that this guy is a stand up nice guy. He has been promoted into the position with no training and no practice at all. It isn't right. It isn't how good supervisors are made. They are destroyed that way. Both these guys need training and development. They are good people who are being ruined.

The title link will get you to the Federal Acquisition page. A source in the work site has told that there are questionable contractual actions taking place at the site.

Happy Holiday

I have Thursday and Friday off. So I should be back Saturday. Not that anybody cares.

VA?

We tried to get a hold of VA to help us write the ULP testimony. he hasn't called back. A brilliant man who sometimes is hard to get a hold of. It took all day to do this testimony. During lunch, we went to another facility and met with memebers. They were happy thatw ea re filing and wanted to help anyway they could. One of the guys we met, I'll call him Woodcutter. was very touched that we are doing what we are doing. Still, we got the testimony done and the Prez is ready to fax this over to the FLRA.

Interesting thing was that the boss came by the work site and ignored us. I can understand this. I am sure that he is taking this personally. Still, it would have been nice for him to make an attempt to tak. I would have listened.

Anyway, click on "VA" to go to the FLRA web page. It isn't the best, but it is good.

oops!

Well, several things today. Prez called. The FLRA wants all relevant evidence for our ULP mailed into them by Friday! The Prez is nervous about being under the gun. Basically, the action deals with the memos that the management sent out. These memos require the two employees to go to the Doctors, on the their own leave and expence, to confirm something that everbody, even the work site already knows, that they are diabetics. Well, we are fighting it. Prez wants me to get with the two employees and take statements. How I will do that is a question. He will call VA in the morning and speak about the necessity of doing it.

At the close of the day, I am in civilian clothes as we are walking up. I am thinking out loud thank the Supe and then I say, "fuck you!" And then two civilians walks by. OOps! Not in uniform so I really didn't get fried. I do however, hate the job there. Shouldn't have said that.

New style

The work place has just introduced a new style of communication with the public. I am the person "in charge." I put this is quotes because I am not really the person in charge. There are really four people who operate the work place. There is the Supe, the Deputy, the Chief, and my Direct supervisor. All four of them, have, at different times, told me diametrically opposed views of what the program should like. I have tried at times to please all. It is impossible. Now, the Deputy, has stated she wants things that directly contradicts what teh Supe has said. Amazing stuff here. May even grieve.