You're an exempt, right?

It is a magic question. When asked of a certain class of state workers, those who can be fired for no reason, it ends their efforts to hold anyone above, or even around them, accountable for public corruption or incompetence.

It reminds them that the consequences for making waves in state government, is to be thrown out of the pool.

During the Public Forums at the Government Restructuring Task Force meetings, I have repeatedly suggested an anonymous survey of state workers, a survey in which they could point to the corruption and incompetence surrounding them without fear of retaliation.

I feel my pleas have fallen largely upon deaf ears.

The Task Force's efforts to address inefficiencies in state
government, including public corruption and incompetence,
will likely not include folding in state workers who by any reasonable measure, know more about those inefficiencies than anyone.

Why not? It could be as simple as wanting to hide the truth.
Once the cat is out of the bag, there is no putting it back.

Look what happened when the PRC surveyed its employees,
and the efforts to cover up the problems it exposed, link.

It looks as though those who are arguably responsible for the inefficiencies, will be the only ones asked to point them out. Need I actually point to the flaw in that logic?

The only response, on the record, on the subject of surveys came from Republican House Minority Whip Representative Keith Gardner who suggested that any such survey would just be exploited by state employees with an axe to grind.




The fact remains; state employees are afraid of retribution and retaliation. The recently passed Whistleblower protection law offers little comfort and encouragement to those who might want to expose corruption, but don't want to spend years suing to get their job back, link.

State Workers Union Steward Glen Carlberg also took the opportunity to step up at the Public Forum to point out that, while there are avenues to file complaints about public corruption, there are no such avenues to file complaints over incompetence.

How bad is the corruption and incompetence among state workers?

It is a fair question that will likely never be asked. And if asked,
will likely not be answered out of fear of retaliation.

I asked the question of a few state workers. My survey was small and unscientific. Responses ranged from two incompetent or corrupt state workers for every honest and competent worker, to two good ones for every bad one.
The average; half bad, half good.

There is no greater indicator of institutional ill health than,
employees who are afraid to point to problems for fear of
retaliation.

The conclusion; there needs to be a full scale scientific survey,
and there needs to be follow up on the results.

The sooner, the better.




photo Mark Bralley