We must change emloyee practices in our nation's critical infrastructures.

Security is a huge topic in our home, and amongst people we know. For these major areas: bridges, dams, railways, Federal and State buildings, nuclear plants and power stations are key components of our daily lives. It especially concerns me, because I know from research and first hand commentary, how lax security is in many of these areas. The reasons are manifold.

In most of these structures, nepotism, careless hiring practices and poor management contribute greatly to this problem. ABC News tomorrow night at 10:00 PM EST, will be airing a report on a 4 month long investigation of 25 research colleges, and the security issues surrounding the nuclear reactors there.

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/LooseNukes/story?id=1206529&page=1&CMP=OTC-RSSFeeds0312

Nepotism and cronyism are a serious problem in many of these jobs. A wife's best friend's brother needs a job and gets it-often qualified or not. A project manager may hire only certain ethnic minorities, often his own, over much more suitable candidates. As an example, Cal Trans in my area has a huge Asian pool of workers controlling key areas of this sector. Since many of these places subcontract out to major firms for key areas like engineering or facilities maintainance, most monitoring is done by e-mail, written or phone communications. A once or twice yearly visit, announced in advance, is often the only true oversight these contractors have.

As a result laxity, indifference, theft and sheer ineptitude are common. Why don't more people complain or report this? Well...they do, and often receive disciplinary actions ranging from demotion to firing. Union representatives are routinely called in to protect a workers Wiengarten Rights to defend its members from unjust, unfair disciplinary measures. Non union employees may be told outright if you want to keep your job, keep your mouth shut.

I question the utility of using metal detectors, video cams, and other security measures, when those who work within these places can't or won't be responsive to the need for these things. In fact much of the funding for security in many of these places goes into someone's pockets, and the security contracting awarded to the lowest bidder. Worse, some may be working for the very people we fear may attack us again. Changing this is a priority and must begin immediately, with auditting done on a much more frequent basis in these places. The big subcontracting firms must be made to be actively hands on in key facilities,and immediately terminate employees found sleeping on the job, or demonstrating documenting laxity or ineptitude. Any key manager found to be practicing hiring based solely on friendship or ethnicity., should either be relocated and re-trained or terminated

We hold our law enforcement officials to extremely high standards, which we should. For their role is a critical one in our society. Why should we expect less from the individuals responsible for the operating and maintaining of our key infrastructures?