CIVIL SERVICE REFORMS DRAW FIRE ON HILL

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP86B00338R000400620046-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 12, 2008
• Sequence Number: 46
• Publication Date: February 17, 1983
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Approved For Release 2008/09/16: CIA-RDP86B00338R000400r620046-2
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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
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