Re: BEC replacement questioned at Moffett

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@cpeo.org>]

[This came in from a government employee at another military base:]

Civil Service regulations protect those with longevity and seniority,
just
as any good union shop would do.  Unfortunately, most true environmental
professionals haven't much seniority because the field grew up in
government
service in the past 10-15 years.  Converted civil engineers,
occupational
health types, and water treatment plant operators have the points to
survive
reduction-in-force actions.  Environmental scientists and engineers
don't.
In the future it will not be uncommon to see dedicated, committed,
qualified
environmental folks displaced by older workers from "related"
specialties
who must learn the processes.

One possible way around the RIF is to create TERM positions -- which are
civil service employment contracts for a specified period and which do
not
necessarily become dominoes in a RIF action.  But there are minuses for
the
employees in that situation.

This issue may be an area for dialog between the citizens, elected
officials, and the government bureaucracy.  I've noted that one of the
big
complaints in cleanup sites is the turnover in government personnel...
Hope
this insight is useful to you...

-- 


Lenny Siegel
Director, Center for Public Environmental Oversight
c/o PSC, 222B View St., Mountain View, CA 94041
Voice: 650/961-8918 or 650/969-1545
Fax: 650/968-1126
lsiegel@cpeo.org
http://www.cpeo.org