The Answer To The Light Bulb Question

Sometimes a Mayor Sam reader gets a guest shot at blogging when their comment is just too good. RSS and blog aggregation fame is assured.

Earlier today I asked "How Many DWP Employees Does it Take to Pass Out a Light Bulb?" Manhattan Beach Mongrel (no relation to Zuma Dogg I presume) has the definitive answer:

It takes one if they're non-union.

If they're unionized, it takes a lot more. Here's the breakdown:

1 Teamster to transport the bulb to DWP.

1 AFSCME (American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees) to process the accompanying paperwork.

1 EAA (Engineers, Architects, and Accountants) to process the purchase order for the bulb from the manufacturer.

1 SEIU (Service Employees International Union) to clean the bulb.

1 AFSCME to print installation instructions (including warnings to not swallow the bulb, disposal instructions, and compliance instructions).

1 Teamster to drive the printed instructions to the warehouse.

1 SEIU to package the bulb, and include the installation instructions with the packaging.

1 SEIU to warehouse the bulb.

1 Teamster to operate a forklift inside the warehouse, both for storage and for transport to the loading dock.

1 Teamster to load the DWP vehicle with the bulb.

1 Teamster to drive the DWP vehicle to its destination.

1 EAA to install the bulb if the resident is a special-needs person.

1 EAA to process fuel expenses.

Total DWP Employees: 13

For the record, all DWP employees are paid a higher salary than City employees with the same job classification. According to the DWP, their employees are paid higher due to hazards not encountered by City employees.