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Phoenix Rises and Crashes
by Chris Sorrenti
Attn: Kristy Cameron
Dear Kristy,
I was taken aback this morning while listening to your interview on 580 CFRA with Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress.
While discussing the Phoenix Pay System debacle, he blamed Stephen Harper and Tony Clement entirely for the failure, when in fact it was the Liberal government that activated the system, despite warnings that it was not ready for implementation.
Although the Conservatives should take part of the blame for cutting employees and underspending on training before implementation, in my opinion the Liberals are just as much to blame for not properly testing the system beforehand, and going ahead without a backup plan.
As a retired federal civil servant, I know from experience that it takes months to properly train a Pay Administrator in the basics of the job, and years to learn all the various sub-routines.
Just before retirement, when I heard that the federal government wanted to move the Pay Management function to Miramichi, I knew right away from what I’ve stated above that it would be a recipe for disaster.
Many of the Pay Administrators have lived in the National Capital Region all their lives, with long time family ties, established friendships, and would not want to make the move to New Brunswick. This would mean having to hire and train a whole new set of Pay Administrators. Throw in a brand-new IT system, untested and unproven, anyone with half a brain could see what the result would be.
The real tragedy about Phoenix is that the government, Liberal and Conservative, have played with people’s lives, damaging them financially and emotionally for years to come.
© 2018
600 hits as of January 2024
04/20/2018 Author's Note: A short letter I wrote in response to a local radio interview. Phoenix is a new automated system, brought online by the Canadian federal government to manage its employees’ pay and benefits.
Posted on 04/20/2018
Copyright © 2024 Chris Sorrenti
| Member Comments on this Poem |
| Posted by Laura Doom on 04/20/18 at 10:12 PM It's been a long time since I distinguished between political persuasions. I just think 'politicians' and anticipate incompetence, detachment from reality and a smattering or corruption (my commitment to 'equality & diversity'). Still, it's good to know that some people, like yourself, are prepared to voice their concerns directly, and in a constructive and civil manner, even though no-one is listening. |
| Posted by Laura Doom on 04/25/18 at 04:17 PM Just to clarify my 'even though no-one is listening' comment: I'm sure many people are listening; however, I'm now resigned to the assumption that those in a position to implement (and rescind) such decisions are not. They are likely to have understood the advantages and disadvantages of proposed policies before introducing legislation to enact them, and are thereafter concerned with damage limitation should the consequences prove detrimental in ways that damage reputations, undermine credibility or threaten their ability to retain/increase power and enhance a particular projected image.
In short, those directly affected listen, whilst those removed from the immediate aftermath merely hear.
Disclaimer: in the knowledge that any opinion on any subject is seen as divisive, I disown all the above comments and reduce my contribution to compliments on your exemplary writing style and formatting :>} (Wish I'd exercised that level of self-discipline before I'd started...)
Merry missives,
Laura. |
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