You dirty rat, or, example of what is wrong with government

[DJofSD]

http://dailysignal.com/2014/10/08/ta...-union-lawyer/

A food inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture who was suspended for failing to discover that rats had infested a pasta-making plant has won a fight to overturn his punishment and get back pay.

Now, a federal labor board has directed an arbitrator to consider whether taxpayers also should reimburse the $67,589-a-year federal worker for legal costs–which his union already covered–even though the food inspector didn’t notice rat feces in a storage room where a bag of flour was ripped open.

Critics of government inefficiency call the sequence of events a cautionary tale about the difficulty of punishing, much less firing, federal employees for poor work — even when it endangers public health.

Is there any better example of what is wrong with government?

[tucker6]

Actually it speaks to what is wrong with unions moreso govt. Without the union, the inspector is rightfully fired, govt or no govt.

[DJofSD]

Originally Posted by tucker6

Actually it speaks to what is wrong with unions moreso govt. Without the union, the inspector is rightfully fired, govt or no govt.

True.

So we have two dirty rats.

[lamboguy]

i think the problem with rats are that they hide out in places like sewers and make burrows around lakes and rivers. when they smell food they go to it and make a new home and multiply fast and furious. you can get rid of rats and be rat free for short periods of time and then there will be more that come back. unless you get rid of all of them you will always have a rat problem. when this world blows up someday, probably one of the few inhabitants that will live through it will be rats. they are tough suckers to put an end to and they scare you too.

[Tom]

Government.....unions.....rats...... r-e-s-i-s-t-i-n-g.....

[HUSKER55]

and now we know the whole sorry story

[cj's dad]

I was chief electrician in a food manufacturing plant for 15 years. I had nothing to do with rodent inspection. However, I will say that it is the easiest thing in the world to spot. We made margarine. A component of margarine is dry whey. bags were ripped open on occasion and rat droppings abounded. Traps work, but preventive measures are the best solution.

Any person being PAID TO INSPECT that cannot spot a rodent infestation should be fired post haste; no questions asked, no answer good enough.

[PhantomOnTour]

Originally Posted by CurtisontheBay

I was chief electrician in a food manufacturing plant for 15 years. I had nothing to do with rodent inspection. However, I will say that it is the easiest thing in the world to spot. We made margarine. A component of margarine is dry whey. bags were ripped open on occasion and rat droppings abounded. Traps work, but preventive measures are the best solution.

Any person being PAID TO INSPECT that cannot spot a rodent infestation should be fired post haste; no questions asked, no answer good enough.

The sad and scary part is that many inspectors (and I can only speak of folks from the Board of Health who inspect restaurants) aren't interested in actually inspecting the premises.
Saw this first hand in New Orleans where food inspectors come in and have free lunch rather than doing a full inspection.
They fill out their reports with a few minor violations, because 95% of all restaurants have some sort of violation, and they are on their way.

Their entire visit lasts about 15mins (without lunch)...how can you inspect an entire operation in 15mins? There is a lot to look at...bar, kitchen, dry storage, walk in cooler, outside the back door (disposal of waste and dumpster area cleanliness), and observing the employees for using cleanliness guidelines (covered drinks, hats or hairnets in kitchen, covered toe shoes, proper handwashing techniques etc...).

Scary

[Tom]

I would pack a couple of roached in his sandwich....see if he can spot those!

[DJofSD]

"My Bosco tastes funny."

[mostpost]

The union was doing what it was supposed to do, protecting its members. I will accept Curtisonthebay's statement that a rat infestation is easy to spot. Given that, I think the inspector was deserving of some kind of punishment. Considering his previous good work record and the circumstance of his mother-in-law's recent death, I don't believe firing would be appropriate.

The arbitrator, at least partly, based his decision to overturn the suspension and award back pay, on the fact that an infestation could have occurred in the two days in between inspections. I think that is bad reasoning. Could have and did are two different things. Unless we have proof, I think we need to assume that the infestation was present at the time of the first inspection.

What about the legal fees? The union should be responsible for its legal fees. Th e government (USDA) should be responsible for its legal fees.

[Tom]

What a crock - the guy was paid to do a job, he did not do it.
End of story.

There are many other people who WILL do it.
Fire him.

Government, unions.....the only ones in this story with any credibility are the rats. They did what they are supposed to do. Without a union. Guess rats have some standards.

[tucker6]

Originally Posted by mostpost

The union was doing what it was supposed to do, protecting its members. I will accept Curtisonthebay's statement that a rat infestation is easy to spot. Given that, I think the inspector was deserving of some kind of punishment. Considering his previous good work record and the circumstance of his mother-in-law's recent death, I don't believe firing would be appropriate.

The arbitrator, at least partly, based his decision to overturn the suspension and award back pay, on the fact that an infestation could have occurred in the two days in between inspections. I think that is bad reasoning. Could have and did are two different things. Unless we have proof, I think we need to assume that the infestation was present at the time of the first inspection.

What about the legal fees? The union should be responsible for its legal fees. Th e government (USDA) should be responsible for its legal fees.

Coming from you, your post is almost an indictment against this particular union worker. I agree with you that the arbitrator unfairly tried to connect the dots between the competing stories rather than judge one more believable than the other.

[OntheRail]

Originally Posted by DJofSD

http://dailysignal.com/2014/10/08/ta...-union-lawyer/



Is there any better example of what is wrong with government?

Professional Courtesy.... from one rat bastard to another.

[HUSKER55]

crime and no punishment.

until unions are gone american will never recover