Forest Service Reorg - Progress or Politics

[Justabirdwatcher]

I feel like this is my life every day. Not sure if I’ll have a job for 8 more years until my first day of retirement eligibility if not. Half expect to show up one day and my login won’t work.

DOI largely isn’t eligible for union representation, so I know nothing about that stuff. What I do know is that I’ve volunteered thousands of hours during my career, received numerous awards recognizing efforts above and beyond my regular job title, because that’s what it took to get the job done. But now that folks completely outside my chain of command and with zero understanding of my job or what I do day to day are mandating downgrades to my performance rating based on arbitrary quotas, while asking me to absorb the work of 3 now-departed colleagues, those days are done. Not going above and beyond anymore. It’s not sustainable and there’s no point. They can replace me with some of these kids that need instructions on how to pee outside and can’t drive off pavement. That should go well.

If you still have 8 years to go until you're eligible, then you're way too young to be ragging on "kids who need instructions." Leave that to the boomers. They perfected that art.

I'm so glad I don't have 8 years. Not even 8 months. Still going above and beyond though because the resource deserves it even if the admin doesn't. Killing our motivation is exactly what they want.

 

[noharleyyet]

Buzz is my business agent..

 

[El Jason]

Buzz is my business agent..
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This is funny, but sadly true. A coworker was (rightfully) disciplined for doing this exact thing.

 

[Bonasababy]

If you still have 8 years to go until you're eligible, then you're way too young to be ragging on "kids who need instructions." Leave that to the boomers. They perfected that art.

I'm so glad I don't have 8 years. Not even 8 months. Still going above and beyond though because the resource deserves it even if the admin doesn't. Killing our motivation is exactly what they want.

Something to look forward to...from my perspective, the dedicated NR professional working for people who work against the interests of the resource can be just as if not more effective after they retire--by getting active in advocacy and politics...not partisan per se, pro NR politics.

 

[TOGIE]

This is funny, but sadly true. A coworker was (rightfully) disciplined for doing this exact thing.

"rightful" is in the eye of the employer.

better ones shouldn't give a shit IMO

i have lots of co workers that peace out around 2:30 or 3 because they have no late meetings and slam lunch in 8 minutes at their desk.

i prefer to do the opposite, 1.5 hour lunch at the gym and leave later.

 

[El Jason]

"rightful" is in the eye of the employer.

better ones shouldn't give a shit IMO

i have lots of co workers that peace out around 2:30 or 3 because they have no late meetings and slam lunch in 8 minutes at their desk.

i prefer to do the opposite, 1.5 hour lunch at the gym and leave later.

Rightful is actually in the eye of the contract. It specifies when breaks may taken and you have to be available by cell phone.

 

[TOGIE]

Rightful is actually in the eye of the contract. It specifies when breaks may taken and you have to be available by cell phone.

exactly. tomayto tomahto.

can't get bent out of shape if an employee is within their contract. and yet so many do.

most often it's employers getting bent out of shape because "that's not how we've always done it"

most of the orgs that think that way are still in the stone age and descending into irrelevancy

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

As a 30+ year supervisor, I can tell you that most agencies have it in their policy when an employee's lunch can be taken and that doesn't include the hours of 3-4 pm. Nor are they technically allowed to combine the two 15-minute breaks they get, or add them to their lunch time. Again, technically. That said, I have an employee on 4-10's (not typically allowed) and an admin who takes an hour sanity break mid-day instead of taking her breaks or her lunch. They are happy and productive. Why the hell would I want to screw with that?

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

Something to look forward to...from my perspective, the dedicated NR professional working for people who work against the interests of the resource can be just as if not more effective after they retire--by getting active in advocacy and politics...not partisan per se, pro NR politics.

I know many who are. I'll have 36 years in soon and IMO that's long enough. Time to go fishing and hunting and if the opportunity to contribute in other ways presents itself, I will consider it. But I'm proud of my body of work over those years and will leave with zero regrets. Someone once asked me what I thought the coolest part of my job is, and after giving it some thought, I replied "that you can see my work from space." I like that.

 

[Nick87]

This is funny, but sadly true. A coworker was (rightfully) disciplined for doing this exact thing.

I tried the exact same thing myself, didn't fly.