Evening star., 1946-01-11
u. 5. Ennp|oye
Unions Split on
Social Security
Secretary Of NFFE
Forecasts Fight to
Finish on Plan
BY JOSEPH YOUNG.

A split developed today among
Government employees groups over
he merits of special congressional
report which would bring
Federal employees under the social
security system for the first time.
Two union groups expressed OUT
right opposition to the report, de-
tails of which were exclusively re-
vealed by The Star yesterday. The
third major Federal employees union.
the United Federal Workers of
CLIO, while not favoring
all details of the recommendations,
was inclined to favor the general
provisions.
The report calls for Government
employees to continue under the
civil service retirement system on
a reduced scale, and also be COW
cred by social security regulations.
The recommendations were made
by the House Ways and Means
Special Investigating Committee,
which last year was voted $4,000
to study the entire social security
system, both for industrial workers
and Government employees. Con-
gress is expected to review the report
next week.
Fight In NFFE Promised.
Strong opposition to the recon-
mendations were expressed by Ger
trude McNally. secretary-treasurer
OF the National Federation of Fed
eral Employees. She called the re-
port absurd" and declared the union
would fight it with all our strength"
James Burns, president of the
American Federation of Govern
ment Employees, AFL, said his union
was opposed to any attempt to mini
mize the effectiveness of the Fed
eral Retirement Act. However, Mr..
Burns said he wished to study the
report thoroughly before making
any formal statements.
Donald Murray, UFWA oficial,
said his union for a long time had
advocated that Government work.
ers be afforded the benefits that
workers in private industry receive
under social security and which
Federal employees do not. Mr.. Muir
ray made it plain, however, that
his group was thoroughly in favor
OF the civil service retirement sys-
tenn as far as it goes.
Provides Survivorship Benefits.
Should Federal workers come un-
der social security, they would re-
eeive Survivorship benefits, some
thing which they do not get under
the civil service retirement system.
At present, survivors of a deceased
Government employe receive only
the lump sum of the retirement pay
ments which the worker has paid in,
plus compounded interest.
Under social security, it was
pointed out, widow with children
may receive benefits up to s85 a
month until the children reach the
age of 10.
Official statistics reveal that av-
erage lump sum payments to sur
vivors OF deceased Federal workers
are about $1,000. Average monthly
payments to dependents of deceased
employees in private industry are
about s45, under social security reg
ulations.
All three unions pointed out that
the proposed changes make no men,
ton for unemployment compensa-
tlon for Government employees, the
only major group in the country
not afforded this protection.
Fear Ssh Control.
Another objection to the con-
gressional committees report is the
fear that eventually the Social
Security Board, which long has ad-
vocated such a plan, will take over
the entire administration of both
systems. Union officials consider
this possibility, despite the reports
strongly worded recommendation
that administration of the civil sery-
ice plan should remain with the
Commission and never be delegated
to the Social Security Board, which
Will administer only its part of the
program.
Another objection is the belief
that Congress at some future date
might decide the social security re.
tirement system is the only pro-
lection Federal employees are entitled
to. and would scrap the civil service
retirement system, considered bv
many the most liberal system of its
kind.
Under the present system, Gov
ernment employees contribute S per
cent OF their earnings to the Fed
eral retirement system, from which
they are to receive monthly paw
ments on reaching the age Of SIS to
62 years of age, depending on the
length of their service. The report
proposes that Federal employees paw
only 31a per cent of their salary to
civil service and IL per cent to-
ward social security.
Under the combined system en-
ployes in the upper and lower brac.
kets would receive reduced retire.
ment benefit payments and workers
in the middle pay scales would re-
ceive higher benefits. The retire.
ment age would he cS vaore