An Open Letter from Manny

Dear Members,

ARE LANL EMPLOYEES READY FOR CHANGE?
Much has been said and read about the bidding process the Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting to select a new contractor to manage the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). You have read details about the Request for Proposals (RFP) that was issued approximately six months ago, and how it requires that the new management contractor must provide "substantially equivalent" benefits and retirement plan for transitioning employees, maintain a work environment that respects scientific and academic freedom, protect employee organizing rights and provide whistleblower protections. Although these provisions were included into the RFP due to the concerted lobbying efforts of LLNL/SPSE, LBL/UPTE and LANLUPTE members with tremendous support from UPTE-System Wide and our affiliation with CWA there is no assurance that the next contractor will implement said provisions at LANL.

There will be many changes coming and as employees the question as posed, "Are LANL Emplyees Ready For Change?" is a very valid one.

• Are you concerned about the potential erosion of your benefits and your pension?
• About the rising costs of health care?
• About how layoffs will be handled under the new operating contractor or even under our current contractor?
• About losing the freedom to state and publish your views on scientific issues?
• About how the operating contractor will foster an environment at the laboratory conducive to scientific inquiry, the pursuit of new knowledge, and the development of creative ideas related to important national interests?
• About what rights you will have under the new contractor?
• About how fair and equity pay will be administered?
• About how a work environment free from any form of retaliation and hostility when employees address non-compliance issues concerning environment, safety and security?

UPTE/LANL has not only been concerned about potential erosion of benefits and employee rights with the pending change in operating contractors, we have been working to protect these rights. UPTE/LANL serves as a collective voice working for a better Laboratory. A Laboratory that is well managed and accountable; one that will provide safe and secure jobs and provide fair and equitable salaries along with a high quality of research.

Employees can have a say on workplace decisions as individuals or as a part of a group. As an individual, an employee can speak directly with the supervisor, go to upper management, or use the grievance process when appropriate. Or you can wait for the next opinion survey to come out.

Collectively, employees can affect decisions by meeting as a group with management, or by electing representatives to meet with management. Independent of management, workers form unions to represent their collective interests. The union then serves as the elected representatives to meet with management on the workers behalf. So if you like working at LANL and you want to be treated fairly and if you want to have a greater influence on your workplace no matter who gets the "Contract" and if you believe that the best way to accomplish this is by having a unified voice than I invite you to join UPTE at LANL.

UPTE is a democratic, member-run organization. Our decisions are made by our members and members elected to the Executive Board. We set our agenda. We believe that we have an important contribution to make to the Laboratory, and to the employees.

UPTE will be having weekly Wednesday meetings 5:15PM to 7:00PM at the Los Alamos Public Library upstairs Conf. Rms. addressing many of these concerns so whether you are members or not please feel welcome to share and receive information.

Manny Trujillo,
UPTE/LANL
President