Diablo muzzles workers concerned about plant safety, SLO group alleges

[bananas]

http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/story/339145.html

Posted on Tue, Apr. 22, 2008

Diablo muzzles workers concerned about plant safety, SLO group alleges

Mothers for Peace says in a letter to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that employees face possible retaliation

By David Sneed

A nuclear watchdog group has filed a complaint with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission alleging that workers at Diablo Canyon nuclear power plant face possible retaliation if they raise safety concerns.

<snip>

An investigation validated most of the worker’s concerns, but he received a downgraded performance evaluation because he was not a team player.

The incident, and those similar to it, has caused a chilling effect in which workers fear raising safety concerns out of fear of retaliation, states the letter.

<snip>

An unspecified number of power plant employees contacted the group after they became frustrated with the internal complaint resolution process at the plant, Rafferty said.

<snip>

[madokie]

1. As always has been the case, one cannot trust the nuclear power industry to be honest

If their way is so good then why do they feel they have no options but to use lies. Folks we are being sold a pig in a poke today same as it was years ago. We simply cannot afford nuclear energy on so many fronts.

[TheMadMonk]

2. As has always been the case, you can't trust ANYONE to be honest...

...if there's a buck to be made from dishonesty.

Once upon a time there were federal/state/municipal inspectors for anything where a question of public safety existed.

But industry persuaded government that if they were allowed to self regulate, then government wouldn't have to pay the wages of the inspectors. And if the government wasn't paying those wages, it could reduce the tax burden. And if the tax burden was reduced, everyone would benefit.

Where putative regulation and oversight remains, the number of inspectors is insufficient to give full coverage of an industry. The only exception seems to be where the inspectors can be made to pay their own way and generate revenue, such as with parking inspectors.