Comments on: Congressman Wamp not encouraging about adjustments under Bodman http://blog.corre.info/2007/12/07/congressman-wamp-not-encouraging-about-adjustments-under-bodman/ --discussing pensions and benefits of Oak Ridge retired employees Sat, 05 Jul 2008 02:05:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Robert W. Henderson http://blog.corre.info/2007/12/07/congressman-wamp-not-encouraging-about-adjustments-under-bodman/#comment-81 Robert W. Henderson Thu, 13 Dec 2007 22:14:18 +0000 http://blog.corre.info/2007/12/07/congressman-wamp-not-encouraging-about-adjustments-under-bodman/#comment-81 Al Brooks makes an excellent point that under Mr. Bodman there have been significant actions that have resulted in more pension dollars (out of the same pot of money from which my pension is paid) for some of the Oak Ridge contractor employees, "Sam Bodeman has supported cost of living increases, reduced spousal penalties, and increased multiplier factors, all for current employees including those who are about to retire." Did Bodman have to specifically approve each of the changes that results in more pension dollars for those persons who have retired since 2004? I suspect NOT. I'll bet that should BWXT-12 and UT-Battelle want to provide the same parameters for those already retired (before 2004) as is done for those employees who have retired since then, that it can be done. Now, should UT-Battelle and BWXT-12 want to provide all those retirees who retired before 2004 pension benefits GREATER THAN what is provided/promised to current employees, I can understand that might take some action at the Bodman level. It is easy to say that adjustments won't be easy under Bodman and thus why should UT-Battelle and BWXT-12 even consider them. I'll tell you why, because those retirees worked for DOE and this country with the expectations that they would be treated fairly compared to how our government organizations treat other persons. TREAT US FAIRLY! Bob Henderson Al Brooks makes an excellent point that under Mr. Bodman there have been significant actions that have resulted in more pension dollars (out of the same pot of money from which my pension is paid) for some of the Oak Ridge contractor employees, “Sam Bodeman has supported cost of living increases, reduced spousal penalties, and increased multiplier factors, all for current employees including those who are about to retire.”

Did Bodman have to specifically approve each of the changes that results in more pension dollars for those persons who have retired since 2004? I suspect NOT. I’ll bet that should BWXT-12 and UT-Battelle want to provide the same parameters for those already retired (before 2004) as is done for those employees who have retired since then, that it can be done. Now, should UT-Battelle and BWXT-12 want to provide all those retirees who retired before 2004 pension benefits GREATER THAN what is provided/promised to current employees, I can understand that might take some action at the Bodman level.

It is easy to say that adjustments won’t be easy under Bodman and thus why should UT-Battelle and BWXT-12 even consider them. I’ll tell you why, because those retirees worked for DOE and this country with the expectations that they would be treated fairly compared to how our government organizations treat other persons. TREAT US FAIRLY!

Bob Henderson

]]> By: Al Brooks http://blog.corre.info/2007/12/07/congressman-wamp-not-encouraging-about-adjustments-under-bodman/#comment-75 Al Brooks Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:09:58 +0000 http://blog.corre.info/2007/12/07/congressman-wamp-not-encouraging-about-adjustments-under-bodman/#comment-75 Sam Bodeman has supported cost of living increases, reduced spousal penalties, and increased multiplier factors, all for current employees including those who are about to retire. He has denied any improvements to existing retirees which clearly represents discrimination against elders and a presumably politcally and economically powerless group. The retirees may not be able to do anything positive for Sam the Ungrateful but we sure can make trouble for him if we wish. Probably the worst thing we can do is to tell the truth about him and DOE especially to the potential hirees and current employees. Their turn at the Weeping Wall will surely come. The second target can be the local Tennessee congressmen and approximately 50-100 congressional members who control his purse strings and thirdly all the East Tennessee Voters. The whole country needs to know that this aministration will try to do administratively what the congress will not authorize by law and the Constitution be damned. E-mail and the Internet give the retirees the power to do it when thay get tired of economic rape. At some point the worm will turn. Lastly Mr. Wamp is not pitted against Sam the Underling but against Mr. Bush the Overlord who wants to privatize all pensions and who outweighs our champion. Mr. Wamp needs one of those famous surges. So write letters. Al Brooks Sam Bodeman has supported cost of living increases, reduced spousal penalties, and increased multiplier factors, all for current employees including those who are about to retire. He has denied any improvements to existing retirees which clearly represents discrimination against elders and a presumably politcally and economically powerless group.

The retirees may not be able to do anything positive for Sam the Ungrateful but we sure can make trouble for him if we wish. Probably the worst thing we can do is to tell the truth about him and DOE especially to the potential hirees and current employees. Their turn at the Weeping Wall will surely come. The second target can be the local Tennessee congressmen and approximately 50-100 congressional members who control his purse strings and thirdly all the East Tennessee Voters.

The whole country needs to know that this aministration will try to do administratively what the congress will not authorize by law and the Constitution be damned. E-mail and the Internet give the retirees the power to do it when thay get tired of economic rape. At some point the worm will turn.

Lastly Mr. Wamp is not pitted against Sam the Underling but against Mr. Bush the Overlord who wants to privatize all pensions and who outweighs our champion. Mr. Wamp needs one of those famous surges. So write letters.

Al Brooks

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