Wednesday, November 14, 2012

And The Rich Get Richer

In August a legislative committee was created to look into allegations against The New Hampshire State Liquor Commission including illegal lobbying, illegal oppression of state officials, warehousing product of local manufacturers, bootlegging, hiding documentation from lawmakers, misallocation of $100,000 in wine, and improper bid documents for a liquor warehouse contract.
Bootlegging? You gotta love it.

The one topic that was glaringly missing from this list was the horrific way the liquor commission treats it's employees. Especially part time employees.
Their approach borders on the illegal and is definitely immoral.

The committee completed the investigation and the findings and recommendations are luke warm milk.

In 2009 lawmakers gave the liquor commission autonomy over it's finances, intending to give the commission greater flexibility to react to the marketplace and maximize profits.
What they did instead was unleash personal executive greed and allow for the creation of a repressive organization that succumbed to the worst instincts in human nature.
The committee now recommends those changes be reversed.
What a surprise.

The committee recommends one commissioner to head the liquor operation instead of three, it recommends stronger laws regarding lobbying, it recommends elimination of the special liquor enterprises fund which will redirect the money to the state's general fund thereby reinstating legislative oversight over the liquor commission's budget (which is just goddamn common sense), the investigation into the $100,000 of missing wine is still under way blah blah blah.

I think the liquor commission got off light and will continue abuses as this process drags on.

I understand that the way employees are treated was not part of the investigation because it focused on financial, executive and administrative improprieties.

I also think the subject was not addressed because exploitation of employees is the current business model in this country.

The liquor commission recently robbed part time employees of the right to be paid time and a half in any circumstance. In other words, if a part timer works a Sunday or a holiday it will be for straight pay. Full timers get time and a half.
The liquor commission is now moving to find a way to make it mandatory for part timers to work on Sundays and holidays. Again, for straight pay. Currently Sunday and holiday hours are voluntary for part timers.

I have heard story after story concerning questionable practices of the commission regarding employees, and I myself have been victimized by their sketchy and unfair approach.

These injustices should be investigated along with financial impropriety. The union that "represents" employees is weak; employees are on their own.
Which, in this economy, and given the cold hearted nature of the liquor commission, means employees are defenseless.

I cannot believe this situation exists in this country in the year 2012.

If you are a fan of  Charles Dickens you will understand the conditions under which liquor commission employees work.

I am apoplectic. Got nuthin' left to say.

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