Evening star., 1955-07-25

graQeQ as result OF reclaSSlIlc
Under the changed regulat
pay a denoted employe the san
demotion for a period of at
least 26 weeks.
The commissions action is in
tended to head of legislation
now the subject of hearings be-
fore the House Civil Service
Committee to protect employees
against salary cuts when their
Jobs are downgraded.
Employe leaders said the CSC's
action, while an improvement
over the old regulations. doesn't
go far enough and that they will
seek enactment of legislation tn
give permanent protection
against salary cuts to employees
whose jobs are downgraded.
The CSC's revised regulations
make it optional with the agency
as to whether an employees sal
ary has to be reduced immedi-
ately when the job is down.
graded as a result of reclassifi-
cation. 1t would not apply to
downgrading resulting from re-
ductions-in-force.
csc officials said the new sys-
tenn will give the agencies and
the employees an opportunity to
reasSign a downgraded employe
to a higher job grade during this
interim period.
The new system does not
change the present protection
given employees in jobs they have
held prior to 1949. In these cir
cumstances where jobs are
downgraded, agencies may con-
+tinue the employees at their pres
ent salaries indefinitely.
The new rules are aimed pri-
marily at employees who have
entered their present jobs since
l949.
Under the new system, an en-
ploye whose job is downgraded
or who is otherwise denoted may
retain his old salary for a period
calculated on the basis OF total
length of employment in grades
higher than the grade to which
he was denoted. Thus an en-
ploye denoted to grade 5 after
spending four of his eight years
in Federal service at grades
higher than grade S would have
his retention period calculated
on the basis of four years serv-
ice. Breaks in service are disre-
igarded in making the calcula-
tion. Military service is counted.
Employees with three years of
service or less could retain their
old salaries for 26 weeks. Each
additional year would add eight
weeks at the old salary, and each
additional quarter over a full
year would add two weeks. How
ever, the retention period may
be terminated more quickly if
the eraploye is reassigned to a
new position at the old or high
er salary or if he is denoted or
'reaSsigned for cause. at his own
request, or in a reduction-in =
force.
When the retention period
ends. the agency will have the
power to Ak the employees SAL
ary at any scheduled salary step
within the grade to which he
has been denoted.
Il X X X
NAVY UNDER FIRE-The AFL
Government employe groups
have sharply attached the Navy
Department for ignoring the
unions proposals for changing
the wage board procedure gov
erning the pay of Federal per
diem (blue collar) workers.
The unions say this again
proves the need of legislation
giving Federal employe groups
the right to bargain collectively
with Government agencies, with
mediation and arbitration privi-
,leges. The unions next year in
tend to press for such leeisla-
ton, which has been introduced
by several members of Congress
this year but which has not been
acted on.
William Ryan, president of
District A of the International
Association of Machinists, de-
clares that the Navy's wage
board procedure is too slow and
that employe group recommen-
dations and participation in de-
termining wage patterns are ig-
nored. He said the present Navy
system has deprived blue collar
workers of millions of dollars in
additional pay that is rightfully