Entergy Rewards Hard Work and Dedication
As of Friday, February 3, 2006 at least 50 employees on the Entergy contract were rewarded by Entergy for their hard work and dedication in the aftermath of the hurricanes. See, Entergy has all these computers that do all kinds of nifty stuff. These computers are under the supervision of a company based in San Diego since Entergy outsourced all their Information Technology (IT) work several years ago. The people, generally, live in New Orleans and the computers are here at the Data Center on the West Bank. Since they outsourced, Entergy has been able to pressure this outside company to lay off people to meet budget requirements. As of the storms last year they were down to around 300 or so (give or take) from the original number of somewhere around 500 - relax the exact numbers don’t matter. My point is, they were a lean, mean, IT staff. Their contract was supposed to be up at the end of 2005 (rumor has it) and Entergy, being a savvy business was considering going with another outsourcing company. This is smart since there are a lot of IT companies out there and, on the surface at least, Entergy is a good foothold into the Deep South and oil companies. Enter the sisters of doom in August 2005 and everything goes to hell.
Many of Entergy’s IT contractors stayed throughout the storm, living in the Data Center for months; sleeping on cots and eating from Red Cross trucks that came by several times a day. By the way, the Data Center doesn’t have any windows. Many more still, relocated at Entergy’s request to places like Houston, TX, Jackson, Mississippi, and Little Rock, Arkansas where Entergy found them places to rent. Let’s be clear: Entergy is not paying for the places, nor is Entergy on the lease. The individuals are responsible - Entergy just found the places. Many people, even as I write this, are located outside New Orleans at Entergy’s request. They are working, and trying to get by while they wait for their job to move back to the city - which, in all likelihood, isn’t going to happen. The IT staff was so fast and complete with the recovery of the computer systems that Entergy wasn’t actually ready to use them for several weeks after they were up. With curfews and nowhere to go anyway, they’d work and do the best they could without leaving the Data Center for long stretches of time. For some, this was the start of many months they would spend estranged from their family and friends (other than co-workers). Still other were more fortunate in that they didn’t have any family and were only restricted to the Data Center and unable to check on property and other belongings. Left to wonder for months, like everyone else, if anything had survived. Until finally, things began the slow creep toward normal.
Last Friday, without pomp or circumstance 50 or so of these employees were singled out and rewarded for their hard work and dedication to Entergy’s role in helping New Orleans recover after the hurricanes. Last Friday 50 or so of these people were laid off.
Well, anyway, it isn’t like the President of Entergy New Orleans (Dan Packer) is on the Rebuild New Orleans Committee or anything - oh, wait - he is. Great.
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Personal sacrifice for a corporation is insane. Better luck tomorrow.
Frankly, I think it’s time to revisit the idea that Entergy should be converted into a customer-owned co-op. The city should just condemn their infrastructure for, say, $1 dollar (since they probably won’t be getting many other offers out of bankruptcy). You end up with cheaper electricity and better service. Co-ops typically take very good care of their employees, especially up here.
If the parent company refuses to spend any more to recover Entergy New Orleans after harvesting rate payers money for all these years, I don’t think expropriation for $1 is such a harsh idea.
Geesh Markus, co-oping Entergy would be sort of be like laying Entergy off. I wonder if it’s harder on an individual or a corporation to be laid off? It would be nice if NO gave Entergy the chance to find out. Co-op the SOB’s.
MLGW in Memphis is a publically held utility and generally has some of the lowest energy and water rates in the nation. It’s had some issues lately with corruption and inefficiency, but I think that’s more indicative of the current mayoral adminstration than the company. (Several “friends” of the mayor have been appointed to cusghy jobs within MLGW for which they have nadda experience.) If NO can pull it off, do it. heh heh - that would be great.
A.
Entergy is a horribly run company. The biggest beneficiaries are the executives that get huge bonuses for cost cutting measures. A friend of mines neighbor recieved a $800K bonus last year. They have just about outsourced everything they can and it really shows in their customer service and efficiency.
Many of their subcontractors have not been paid since Aug 05 and they are having trouble getting companies to bid on jobs. They also have their hand out to the Feds asking for several hundred million for reconstruction.
BTW Entergy NO used to be NOPSC. It was a public entity at one time and was just about as effective as every other NO public entity.
Ann I lived in Memphis for awhile, MLGW has been corrupt for years, it’s nothing recent. Also was here for NOPSC….that was a disaster as well…large corporations taking a dump on the little guys huh? I thought that was the American Way….atleast for the last 20 years it has been.
Oh I know Dan, it’s just gone over the top with Herrenton. When questioned aboit hiring 10 new V.P.s at 130K each when the parks weren’t being mowed because of city-wide layyoffs, he said “I’m not gonna nickel and dime someone on their salary.” And yes, every last one of them was conencted to him s oem how. Even given that, the rates have always been reasonable, though. I’m paying easily 50% more for water in the county as I did in the city. And comparing heating and cooling to what I paid to Illinois power - sheesh. I feel downright prosperous. But MLGW is going up now - which is pissing lots of people off, including me, particularly after the 1.3 mil handout to friends of Willie.
A.
Dan and Ann, I can’t believe there is political corruption other places. I thought that only happened in Louisiana. /sarcasm off
It’s time the entire American public knows the truth.
You guys know how the river flows, fast in the north, middlin’ in the centre, SlOW down south.
Laurie
Glad to see you survived and took a new job and I hope that your favorite bar survived(if not pick a new one) Did you ever finish that novel you were going to write? Did you ever finish the 30 day thing? Well have a drink and be thankful you can see the lies when they are written on the wall. Told you it was time to move on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry for your friends impacted by Entergy’s decisions.
Your facts are somewhat skewed. OK.. very skewed.
Try again sometime once you’re a bit more educated on the goings on.
kthnx