Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-24
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DENVER. Aug. 23.-The tert
OF President EisenhoDer's
statement on Federal pGy-rGise
legislation tollows:
In order that Federal workers
may not have 10 undergo a pc
Rod Of uncertainty as to my ae-
ton on II. r. 7774, An act to
increase the rates Of compen-
sation Of CLASSIFIED. postal and
other employees Of the Govern
ment. and for other purposes,
I wish to announce that / shall
withhold my approval from this
BILL.
The American people desire to
reward properly, even generously.
dedicated and faithful service on
the part. Of their Government
career employees. In return for
the taxes they pay they expect
to have a civil service system
that is free of partisan politics,
encourages efficient operation.
rewards merit. and provides
steady pay increases as the value
Of each employe increases with
service and experience. / am
intellectually In accord with
those desires.
Since taking Office this adj
ministration has developed a
personnel program applying the
best practices of progressive EN-
ployers to the requirements Of
public service. In furtherance of
that program, recommendations
were made by. this administra-
ton to the Congress for reason
able pay increases and adjust
ments in pay scales. H. r. 7774
is inconsistent with these princi-
Piles. Unfortunately. the general
pay increase proposed by this
bill ignores and therefore tends
to perpetuate the inequities we
must correct.
Cites Gains Already Made.
On February "a, 1854, I ap-
proved and promptly submitted
to the Congress the program to
which I have just referred. It is
the broadest and most construc-
tive Of its kind ever placed be-
fore Congress. Most of its i'm
portant provisions were passed
at this session. and these mea-
sures, in themselves. are so i'm
portant as to constitute a mile
stone in the improvement Of the
civil service system. These pro-
visions include:
/. For the first time an in
elusive system Of group life in
surance and unemployment COM
pensation benefits similar to
those enjoyed by workers in
private industry have been pro-
vided for Federal employees.
2. Restrictions on permanent
promotions and reinstatements
of former career employees have
been removed.
8. The statutory limit on the
number of employees in the
executive branch has been ad-
juSted to meet present-day needs.
4. The incentive awards pro-
grams have been liberalized and
made applicable to all en-
ployes.
S. Arbitrary restrictions upon
the accumulation of annual leave
have been repealed.
6. Longevity pay increases have
been authorized for all except
the three highest classified
service grades.
Z. An equitable system for
overtime pay has been estab-
lished.
Bill Not Efficient.
These measures not only will
benefit our Federal career sys-
tenn and its employees, but also
will improve the sound manage
ment of the Federal Government.
to whose efficiency this admin
istration is resolutely dedicated.
H. r. 7774 Is not a part of q
progressive and efficient pro-
gram.
An important part Of the adj
nninistration's program that was
not enacted into law involves
general pay increases based upon
the purposes Of correcting in
equities. promoting efficiency and
rewarding merit and experience.
In withholding my approval
from this bill. want to make
it absolutely clear that the adj
miniStration is not departing
from the principles and purposes
which it has hitherto advocated.
I shall continue to urge the
enactment of the remaining
parts of the personnel program
which was submitted to this ses-
sion of Congress so that obvious
distortions in the pay scales Of
both the postal and classified
services can be corrected; so that
adjustments and more equitable
relationships between grades and
steps within those grades can be
! made, and SO that a proper and
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