Poets, Philosophers and Politicians

So the medical center can’t decide what to pay healthcare providers because they have yet to develop a “compensation philosophy”.

I have a liberal arts education. I read Kant, Locke, Descartes but I never heard of a compensation philosopher. The management bargaining team assures us that the executive committee considers “compensation philosophy” a top priority. I imagine them all sitting around a steamy bathhouse in white towels contemplating different philosophical positions.

Maybe our compensation philosopher has a thick beard and an old pipe and is sitting out under tree somewhere vigorously contemplating. It is unclear to me which department ACMC’s philosopher would report to. I would suggest HR, that’s the department that seems most conducive to uninterrupted thought.

Still, one ponders, if we need a philosopher, shouldn’t we have a poet. You can get a good poet at a great price in the Bay Area but I think the poet should have union protections. Well, I find it comforting to know that our executive leaders have taken up the big philosophical questions and I’m eager to learn what all this deep thinking produces.

Ho Ho Ho

Here we go again. The medical center did get some good news, Kay Eisenhower the chair of Vote Health and Brad Cleveland (SEIU 616) both got appointed to the Measure “A” oversight committee. Supervisor Nate Miley in a fit of good judgment appointed Kay. This should slow any obvious looting and if there is any malfeasance, at least we’ll get to read about it in the Vote Health newsletter.

For anyone who doesn’t know about Vote Health they’re worth checking out, they’re a real grass roots community group. They give you big bangs for little bucks. We live in the era of polished plastic nonprofits, all fundraising all the time. Vote Health is an eclectic collection of healthcare policy super heroes. All advocacy all the time. Check them out http://www.votehealth.org/ or just send them a check.

So aside from that news about the committees, what’s happening back at the farm? Well, Wright Lassiter the 3rd, the new CEO, scored some big points with the little people for actually admitting that payroll is having some “difficulties” and saying he’d try to fix it.

Schmooze and Booze

We have a new dynamic duo, CEO and COO. Mostly it’s been palace politics and finger food: nervous executives, administrators, middle mismanagement all sucking up while sucking down refreshments. I can’t do small talk, so at the appropriate time the Dirt and the hired help plan to invite our new leadership team to the Bedpans and Barbeque welcome party, real food, real people and real information. Cambio executives managed to spend over a year at the medical center completely unbothered by facts or the operational realities of the ACMC. They had lots of meeting with middle management about what was really going on.

By all accounts Wright Lassiter, the new CEO is well, nice. Shocking absolutely shocking! Those with enough suction around the medical center to have actually met or talked to our new leader (doctors, executives and politicians) all agree he’s “nice.” Some see this as strength others as a weakness. Personally I see kindness as a plus not a minus. Besides only people who really love the work last around Highland Hospital, ACMC’s a love it or leave it kind of job.

So, nice is nice. So along with the open invitation to the Bedpans and Barbeque welcome, the Dirt would like to offer the honorable Mr. Lassiter some humble but practical advice. Payroll you see has begun to melt down: missed checks, errors, compounding errors, manual checks and ACMC’s very own direct withdrawal (the medical center actually sucks money in and out of employees accounts). Historically the medical center refuses to acknowledge or address such problems until a lawsuit is actually filed, so this problem probably won’t come up in any committees.

Mr. Lassiter as a new hire is at considerable risk of not getting paid, since we definitely want him to stay around we’d like to offer some survival tips for new hires who want to get paid. Do not use direct deposit (it’s too dangerous), know your payroll clerk’s name and telephone number, when you receive your check run to the bank and deposit it (you never know when the medical center is going to run out of money) and always check your leave balances and deductions.

Welcome to the medical center Mr. Lassiter we’re so happy to have you.

Vote Out Loud !

Call or come to the Oakland Alliance Headquarter
7992 Capwell Drive (to phone bank )
(510) 569-3655

Phone Bank Times
Friday Night, Saturday all day, Sunday all day after 11:00 and Monday all day

Precinct Walk
Oakland Teamsters
70 Hegenberger Rd Suite 150
All day everyday

If these times and places don’t work for you call 569-3655 and tell them what you can do and where and they’ll get you going