CIVIL SERVICE REFORMS DRAW FIRE ON HILL

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Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
CIA-RDP86B00338R000400620046-2
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RIFPUB
Original Classification: 
K
Document Page Count: 
1
Document Creation Date: 
December 21, 2016
Document Release Date: 
September 12, 2008
Sequence Number: 
46
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
February 17, 1983
Content Type: 
OPEN SOURCE
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PDF icon CIA-RDP86B00338R000400620046-2.pdf106.36 KB
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Approved For Release 2008/09/16: CIA-RDP86B00338R000400r620046-2 I %iixECAU Civil Service 'Reforms' Draw Fire o-i hill President Reagan's civil service chief went to Capitol Hill yesterday, in a:'government-owned Oldsmobile die- sel,', to outline the administration's plans for "reforming" the government's package of pay and fringe :benefits. Judging from the reception he got, he-may need an Army battle tank armed with missiles next time he makes the trip. ponald J. Devine, head of the Of- fice of Personnel Management, took the administration proposal to the hearing room of the House Post Of- fce-Civil Service Committee. He was surrounded by a standing-room only crgwd made up of mostly hostile but interested civil servants and union lobbyists, with observers from the press and from other interested com- nrittees. -Devine told the. congressional unit-which is supposed to handle' federal personnel legislation-that the administration would, like its ,permission to cancel. this year's. fed-, 'eral pay raise and next year's retiree raise, totally revamp the government retirement program and put more stick and less carrot in the system to decide who, gets seniority raises and who.does not. The very cool reception he got is important because the committee can do a lot-if it chooses-to delay, ,modify or kill any of the reforms the White House is pushing. r' Devine said the major civil service shakeups are designed to make gov- ernment more like the private sector; to increase incentives for top-drawer workers and to convince the public. that working for the government is not a gravy train. - He irked Democrats, who domi-. Pate the committee, by saying the proposals are a natural extension of the Civil Service Reform Act, which he described as one of the major. ac- complishments of President Carter::, Rep. Mary Rose Oakai (D-Ohio) who chairs the compensation and employe , benefits 'subcommittee (which sponsored the meeting) said she thought Devine was guilty of tared Devine (a former University of Maryland professor) on 'the antifed- eral worker bias of the administra- tion; and said federal employes do not feel that the OPM "represents their best interests." Devine got some moral and verbal support . from - fellow Republicans Connie Mack (Fla.) and William E. Dannemeyer (Calif:), but none at;all from Rep. Frank Wolf of Virgins k who represents large numbers of;fedja" Wolf said the CS Reform Acts which .Devine felt was the bright spot of the Carter years-is. "a sham-, bles" , that Congress should admit was a "mistake." Wolf said the Reagan administra-. tion's attack on the civil service is an, example of . "the ; law of the jungle. .. You go after the smallest, boy, the weakest girl in..ahe school. yard " He said that the relatively small, number of federal., workers (2.8 amil lion). and retirees (1.8 miillion), makes them fair game. for politicians. He proposed that the- administra=tion put its "reforms" on ice and rap-, point a commission to study the en- tire federal personnel system and come up with recommendations that would be fair without destroymg'the government'seability to attract and keep good people. , Wolf suggested that former Pres- ident `Ford head the commission, which he :said should also include former Post Office-Civil Service Committee Chairman David 'Hen- derson (D-N.C.). and VFW W- Devine said the proposals the ad- ministration is making have been studied, and. that time is running out-particularly for 'the federal re- tirement system, which he said has a debt of half a trillion dollars. Unless workers pay more into the system, and are discouraged from taking early retirement, the system will be in real trouble, he said. But members of the key commit- tee and subcommittee made it clear "the sin of omission" in. some of the charts, documents and data he brought to support his thesis that Uncle; Sam is one of the';.nation's', most generous- employers. yesterday; that the president's plan isn't going through them, and'that if it~;becomes part of the' budget rec- o iei'liation proses-s they will attempt Approved For Release 2008/09/16: CIA-RDP86B00338R000400620046-2 ME FEDERALDIARY r