Dreadful News

[Burnham]

Well Burnham I will tell you.

First of all you represent an incredibly small portion of the federal workers.

For the most part, (99%) the feds use part time, intermittent, casual laborers who are seasonal.

You represent an incredibly small margin of the federal workforce. And you know this. (as a side note, it is a crying shame that you folks do not get the support you need)

The guy who was killed was a municipal worker.


Apples and oranges

In what ways do I mis-represent the rest then, Frans? I'm not trying to be obtuse, I just don't get your drift. If it is that you think the vast majority are lazy, stupid, leeches on society, I'm afraid you are mistaken, in my experience. I find that there is absolutely no difference in the quality of work put in by public and private workers. There are good, bad, and indifferent in every field.

Frans, on what data source do you base your claim that 99% of the federal workforce is seasonal...that does not come even close to matching my experience. And even if it were true, what's your point? That seasonal employees are somehow less talented, hard-working, safety concious than permanent employees? That also doesn't match my experience...hell, I was a seasonal myself for 8 years.

If I'm to be censured for wrongly comparing apples and oranges, then I'd ask that those who blithely toss off blanket statements about "gov't employees"' draw distinctions too. I'm damned if I know how one could do so with any accuracy though.

Broad characterizations of any group is easy. Too easy for thinking people to fall into accepting, imo.

Frans, I know this post started directed at you, but please hear me. I am addressing a much wider circle. I respect your skill, talent, and drive. Making a go of it in your chosen profession is no walk in the park.

If you truly find that in your encounters with people who work in the public sector that I am such a rare bird, then we surely have different impressions and will just have to agree to disagree. But I'll bet I have more interactions with federal, state, county, and city employees in any one month than you've had in the last 10 years. It's just the nature of my job.

 

[OTGBOSTON]

nicely put sir!

twice in one thread!

I just get pissed

maybe with age I'll learn to be more diplomatic, like yourself...

 

[Frans]

In my experience, yes not as comprehensive as yours Burnam, Federal employees (ones in the field) are understaffed, and do not receive the money they deserve.

However the administrators have fat salaries.

I do not think ALL municipal workers are lazy, nor Federal workers. I just think that for the most part many are in it for the bennies, and work FOR retirement, not for the love of the job.

Perhaps I am mistaken. I has happened once or twice before

It is all opinions anyway, we have no way of knowing what the real details are in this event which started this thread.
I just cannot help but wonder why a city worker could operate machinery in such an unsafe manner. After all, they are some of the best trained

 

[Burnham]

In my experience, yes not as comprehensive as yours Burnam, Federal employees (ones in the field) are understaffed, and do not receive the money they deserve.

No argument from me...if you were trying to make that point earlier, I misunderstood. I certainly was not disputing it.

However the administrators have fat salaries.

I don't really know what you consider fat...but a salary that breaks into 6 figures is an unusual thing for federal administrators. Not to say there are not too many chiefs and not enough indians these days in the FS...

I do not think ALL municipal workers are lazy, nor Federal workers. I just think that for the most part many are in it for the bennies, and work FOR retirement, not for the love of the job.

If it's a sin to consider the benefit package and planning for having enough financial resources to enjoy a comfortable life after working for 40 years or so, then I am as guilty as the next guy. By my reckoning, if you fail to do the same, you are foolish. In fact, your point about low salaries is why people like me DO pay attention to their retirement plans...it's part of my compensation package, and is important to me, a defered positive reinforcement for putting up with the damned federal bureaucracy all these years.

Perhaps I am mistaken. It has happened once or twice before

We certainly are brothers in this, my friend. I appreciate your taking the time to reply to my posts. No one has a monopoly on the truth...in fact, there is unlikely to ever be only one truth.

 

[Frans]

Thanks for the considerate reply Burnham. I learned a bit more after this conversation.
I thought about it, and I figure my bad attitude about the gov. comes in great part from the Oakland Hills firestorm where I watched so much finger pointing, CYA, and no real effort, it just sickened me. Watching your neighborhood go up in flames is a hard thing to go through.

Katrina comes to mind as well.