Thursday, July 20, 2006

Remember the Days

Remember when Burton Raiford was the Commish and you NEVER saw him- then Eric Bost came along and actually got out and about among the masses? Of course, we didn't know at the time what would become of Mr Bost, but it was refreshing to see the head of the agency out talking to the ones that work in the field!

Remember QC Rallies? Remember they'd bring in a comedian or something to lighten the mood and make you laugh until you couldn't breathe?

Remember how you felt like the average John Doe didn't think you did anything worthwhile - but you always felt like "Administration" cared about what you did?

Remember BJST! Lifelong friendships could be made in those classes, couldn't they? You bonded with the 20 or so "new workers" and even if you scattered out to various offices after BJST was over, you still kept in touch through email or no, SPEED MEMOS!

Remember those slow computers!? Packard Bells! Ugly Orange Screens that were slow as can be!

We got supplemental trainings: PRA Training, Changes Training, Self-Employment Training, Case Clues Training, Quarterly Revision Training, Stress Management Training, "Who's on First" for Trainees, QC Rallies, Worker Conferences......

Remember the days when you could put in your time, and put in for a promotion and get a Worker III job, then a Supervisor job. If you wanted, you could apply for a job with the Training Unit- or if you were in Austin- you could end up in State Office. There was a job track!

Remember MATP's? I can remember having to stay late in the office so all the MATP's could be issued to all those expedites, then we'd get up and do it again the next day.

Remember the days when you felt like you were actually helping people?

How do we get that back? Can we?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

awww.... those were the days... i especially miss having a commissioner who actually CARES about the people carrying the load for this agency... now we have one who just blames us for all the problems brought on by others trying to save a buck...

i remember griping about the MATPs and having to send the clients to the post office to get their actual stamps... and griping about the computers... but at least someone cared about us back then.. so when you griped, people listened and at least commiserated even when nothing could be done... now we don't even have time to gripe... except to our families, bless their hearts, the people we love the most are now having to see us always grumpy and tired and it's got to be taking a toll

Anonymous said...

i remember commission raiford. that was back when being the commissioner meant running the dept and not seeking self-agrandizement or political goals like King Eric or Albert Tweedle-Dumber Hawkins and his privatization mafia.

dont get me wrong, privatization is good for some things. but never when it's a means to a political end (or a financial one for your cronies)

i've been around since the '80s and have seen a lot of waste and dead weight get tossed. in the past decade, dhs became an excellent agency cranking out very good work with increasingly overworked staff. and these privatized keystone cops are supposed to be doing it better?

someone check the accuracy rate or the timeliness rate. where's the promised gains. remember when TIERS - forget IEE for a second - was supposed to roll out 5 YEARS AGO?

where's the accountability? where are the auditors and prison jackets for the mental-midgets who have spent millions of dollars on systems that STILL HAVE NOT rolled out beyond austin?

sorry, time for my meds.

Anonymous said...

Yes, this used to be a good place to work? I remember when the case load size of 300 was unsuitable and was not tolerated, they hired more people. What is happening now? Going down the drain...

Anonymous said...

I am so glad I got out of there when I did.....

If it ever got back to the old ways....I would think about going back to the agency.