What, me worry?

Every thing is a new opportunity. That’s the current fiction I keep telling myself. Next week, I will figure out a new one to tell myself.

Working on a short term unique and interesting thing to do-until the rest of this little drama sorts itself out. Monday, we get to hear the Director of this government agency explain how this new contract scheme-and the subsequent heavy personnel turnover, and over all screw job to so many of his employees got-is “just another success” for the agency. This, after he has already been publicly forced to admit the initiative did not save any money.  It did break up some really effective teams though.

There is a reason this agency was ranked 224 out of 225 entities in government concerning being a good place to work. And 225 doesn’t exist anymore. “We are Dash Last!”

When you see another contractor on the elevator these days-someone you haven’t seen in a while-the greeting is usually the same. “Have you been converted yet?”

The answer is about the same too: ” Yep, new company, more work-30% pay cut. But, at least I have a job.”

Our government companions have a different predicament, while they may in fact enjoy some measure of job security ( and that may not be true either if there is a RIF due to massive cuts potentially coming), their pay is frozen for the next five years probably, their authority gets reduced and kicked upstairs, and because of the different schemes they work under-they can’t even move to a regular GS job, not without taking a pay cut themselves. The Director, who hates contractors-keeps boasting about the coming hiring surge on the government side.

Except of course-there are no jobs out there to be hired into. Clearly, the Civilian Personnel office didn’t get the memo.

“See your future, Danny. Make, make your future.” ” The world needs ditch diggers too you know!”

At home, we have been fairly low key. The S.O. seems totally oblivious to this situation-and it is really driving me nuts that she doesn’t grasp it. She just assumes I will find something, and her lifestyle will continue unchanged. Glad she has confidence in me-because I sure don’t.

One of the more disturbing things is that the company that did win the contract, has yet to come around to talk to any of us. Which is both odd and not so odd. Not so odd because our transition has been delayed for 3 months ( possibly more) due to some external circumstances and the desire of the program I work for not to break up a team right in the middle of an upcoming flight test.

My co-worker and I talked about it. We see it as a two edged sword. It gives the new company-who is well knowing for screwing people and casting them aside like cord wood, time to get cheaper folks lined up on contingency offers. Furthermore-the guys who have a lot of contacts and other opportunities (like the folks in the DC area)-are already looking for a new place to go. They are not going to stick around and go to Hawaii for two months only to find they are going to get f*cked at the drive through when they get back. The number of people hitting the eject button will probably go up. Even though the place they are currently working is hard to recruit folks into. I agree with him-that is probably what is going to happen. Also even if folks stay around for the transition and are hired by the new company-morale is already as low as it can possibly go. We all like our current company and don’t want to leave. The company does not want us to leave-but it cannot probably find spaces for all of us to go to. ( Not without winning some more work soon).

Down here in Shopping Mall-its not quite the same thing. Engineers are everywhere here-if you don’t like what they offered, they won’t negotiate-they just will quit calling. Plenty of folks with my lack of skills. Now supposedly, per the terms of the contract, I have first right of refusal before they can bring in other people. They , supposedly, have to negotiate with me first. So I was told a few days ago, “not to worry”.

I doubt it. I am convinced that’s just one more lie, from people for whom lies are a daily currency. There have already been cases where this particular company has brought in inexperienced people -in violation of the specifications of the contract-and no one has cried foul. Cause its all about the dollars and a new college graduate will think he’s making really good money. So what if he doesn’ know anything about the military?

But I digress. In the short term, I am working hard to finish up my course. Two more assignments on my project and I am done with that. Three more tests. Trying to finish up two this week-so I can actually feel ahead of the game for a change. It is what it is, and there is nothing I can do about it anyway.

And the S.O. and I are going to go see Cars 2 today. In 3D, of course. After action report to follow.

There is no point to this particular post-except to vent a little. That makes me feel better at least.