[Vision2020] What the . . . ?

Wed Aug 11 23:19:46 PDT 2010

In part, Tom wrote:

"UI tossed in health care for the AlliedBarton employees . . . ALL AT IDAHO
TAX PAYER EXPENSE."

Now, let's think about this, Tom:  surely you know that a payment of
$101.54/month per employee isn't going to provide meaningful health care
coverage for those employees -- assuming any of the AB-UI employees work
long enough, or enough hours, to be eligible for any benefits -- so it seems
to me the question is:  what is that money really for???  One can't help but
wonder if it's really nothing more than padding to increase AB's profit
margin.  Or, maybe it will go towards reducing the employer's contribution
for AB employees in other locales.  Or, maybe it will be funneled off to pay
for another self-thrown $3M birthday party for Blackstone's (AB's parent co)
CEO?  Who knows, but as taxpayers, I do think we have an interest in
knowing.

OTOH, if that $101.54/month/employee actually goes to provide health
benefits for AB-UI employees, I can't imagine that you would have any
complaints about that, would you?  If so, why?  Frankly, I think that any
time a government entity decides to "cut costs" by contracting work out, it
should insist that something basic like health insurance is part of the
package.  Otherwise, those "cost savings," come in large part from choosing
contractors that don't provide appropriate wages/raises or health insurance
or sick leave or vacation pay or retirement or adequate training, etc.  IOW,
it's a way for the UI (or any government entity) to distance or insulate
itself from the abuse of workers.

Of great interest to me are a few other points.

First, as you mentioned, the UI was interested in "cutting costs," but what
they've come up with is going to cost - yet again - more than a quarter of a
million dollars more than what it's currently paying.  It is absolutely
mind-boggling to me how many of the cost-cutting "solutions" the UI comes up
with wind up costing more for less.  The UI sure seems to have a real
penchant for blowing huge wads of money here & there for everything but
things that actually benefit students or employees.

I really have to question how those - whoever they are - making these very
costly "cost cutting" decisions that always wind up costing significantly
more than promised manage to keep their jobs.  <shaking my head>

Second, I'm afraid I see the handwriting on the wall with this stunt:  I'm
concerned this is the first step in the process of the UI ending its
longstanding and very satisfactory relationship with MPD at the expense of
local accountability and quality service.  Perhaps the community uproar made
the UI realize that cutting ties abruptly wasn't going to be acceptable, so
they've opted to take a "gradual erosion" approach.

Third, if the UI has some reason for thinking it can get better quality
elsewhere (an argument I'd dearly love to see it try to defend), then why on
earth would it choose a company with as rotten a track record as AB?!  Quite
frankly, as a parent, I'm not going to be at all interested in sending my
daughter to a school that's chosen a company with AB's sordid history:

http://thedp.com/node/54500

"As she let herself into her house late last Monday night after being walked
home by an escort, a Penn student turned around and was confronted with the
guard's penis in his hand. She reported the incident, and the Division of
Public Safety and AlliedBarton have since fired the guard and instituted new
policies to prevent this from happening again."

This is the company the UI expects to instill safety confidence in parents,
students, potential students, faculty, and staff?!  You've got to be kidding
me!  BTW, the "new policies" referenced above weren't anything that would
reassure me.

http://www.ivygateblog.com/2007/11/penn-responds-to-bad-cop-allegation-yup-h
es-one-of-ours/

I found the above in less than five minutes on Google . . . who knows what
else is out there?  Apparently, AB campus "security" professionals in
Florida and elsewhere carry guns & nightsticks and are known to abuse both.
Do we have that to look forward to here in Moscow?  How about people trapped
in elevators for unreasonable amounts of time because AB just isn't up to
snuff?  Do we want a "security firm" that's history includes "guards"
escorting someone carrying a gun straight to his victims (three fatalities)?
Yes, let's hand over the keys to our kids - and their confidential info - to
AB!  I think not. 

Fourth, in my brief Googling, I couldn't help but notice how frequently
persistent allegations of poor-to-nonexistent training and "low wages and
benefits" are mentioned in conjunction with AB.  Now, I know this is Moscow,
ID where our . . . illustrious Rand Paulbots on the City Council recently
decided to do away with our Living Wage Ordinance that cost the City
NOTHING.  And I know this is the UI, where lip service about supporting
living wages is just that:  lip service.

But I would certainly expect the UI to have the mother wit to understand
that when it makes a claim that it needs to "cut costs" yet wants to go with
a more expensive solution, that money had darn well better at least be
getting more bang for the buck rather than less. 

I'm also struck by the fact that when it comes to hiring highly paid
administrators, the UI makes excuses about the outrageous salaries on the
basis of having to pay more for "quality." Yet when it comes to the safety
of the university community, the UI wants to "cut costs" by going with a
private security company that has a less than stellar record, but that
sacrifice in quality is actually going to cost more.

Finally, I'm highly annoyed that the UI managed to keep this on the QT until
it was too late for anyone concerned to have a chance of any input to the
SBOE.  I can't help but wonder why the UI is being so sneaky about this.
Oh, wait . . . I guess it thinks the surprise "bend over and grab your
ankles" approach is more likely to be successful.

The sad thing is it might work.

Saundra Lund

Moscow, ID

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good people to do
nothing.

~ Edmund Burke

***** Original material contained herein is Copyright 2010 through life plus
70 years, Saundra Lund.  Do not copy, forward, excerpt, or reproduce outside
the Vision 2020 forum without the express written permission of the
author.*****

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Tom Hansen
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 11:09 AM
To: 'Art Deco'; 'Vision 2020'
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] What the . . . ?

The original purpose of seeking contractual arrangements with private
security was to save money and reduce costs of campus security.

Yet, the contractual arrangement with AlliedBarton, as an addition to MPD's
contract (which has already been signed, sealed, and delivered), is going to
cost the Idaho tax payer $280,000 more than last year.

This arrangement with AlliedBarton wreaks of fraud.  I get the impression
that a behind-closed-doors deal may have already been made between
AlliedBarton and "the powers that be".  Regardless of what was said or done
. . . or what the Idaho tax payer said or felt . . . AlliedBarton (and all
of its crookedness) was/is going to be contracted as UI's security, and . .
. just as a door prize . . . UI tossed in health care for the AlliedBarton
employees . . . ALL AT IDAHO TAX PAYER EXPENSE.

Esto Perpetua,

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

UI '96

From: vision2020-bounces at moscow.com [mailto:vision2020-bounces at moscow.com]
On Behalf Of Art Deco
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 10:08 AM
To: Vision 2020
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] What the . . . ?

Read on:

http://www.ripoffreport.com/security-services/allied-barton-securi/allied-ba
rton-security-allie-xb7bc.htm

w.

----- Original Message ----- 

From: Tom Hansen <mailto:thansen at moscow.com>  

To: Moscow Vision 2020 <mailto:vision2020 at moscow.com>  

Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2010 9:33 AM

Subject: [Vision2020] What the . . . ?

"I have worked for AlliedBarton for 3 years. This is the most dishonest
company I've ever worked with. As an account manager you are forced to lie
to your clients, forced to lie to your employees, cover-up thefts and other
violations. I'm leaving the company as soon as I can find something else. I
hate my job and my employer. As a retired policeman, I was used to working
with a mostly honest organization. This has been a real eye opener. If yo
are thinking about taking a job with AlliedBarton (especially in Charlotte
NC), think again."

- From StreetInsider.com at:

http://www.streetinsider.com/Mergers+and+Acquisitions/Blackstone+(BX)+to+Acq
uire+AlliedBarton+Security+Services/3848468.html

--------------------------------------------------------

In a related matter . . .

"The University of Idaho will seek approval this week for a proposed
security services contract with the privately owned AlliedBarton company to
supplement a proposed policing services contract with the Moscow Police
Department."

- From thee August 11, 2010 edition of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News

http://www.dnews.com/story/local/54230/

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------

Hmmm.

Tom Hansen

Moscow, Idaho

"Corporations are an oppressed minority forced to move headquarters from
state to state in search of friendlier tax codes--sometimes being forced to
live just off our shores in tiny mailboxes." 

- John Oliver, The Daily Show

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