Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-05-31


ceiling had worked severe
Ihardships both on the defense
agencies and civilian employees
To offset somewhat the re-
Imoval of the ceiling restric-
Ition, the House committee cui
funds for civilian jobs in the
Defense Department by about
Il per cent. This would mean a
cut Of about 10.75O Of the
l1,075,000 civilian jobs in the
Defense Department, a minor
reduction that could be easily
achieved through attrition--
not filling a small percentage
of the many personnel vacan-
cies that occur each year.
But the big thing as far as
the Navy, Army and Air Force
are concerned is the fact that
the removal Of the ceiling on
white-collar civilian employees
will give them far more latti-
tude in which to operate. And
| 1t will give far more job Sc
curity to white-collar civilians
in the defense agencies.
The Defense Department has
operated for a number Of years
under a ceiling which per-
mitted not more than 475.0OC
of its civilian workers to be
classified or white-collal
workers. There was no restric-
ton on the number of pei
diem (blue collar) civilian
workers.
AS defense agencies func.
tons and operations changed
they frequently had need Il
add more white-collar EN-.
ployes to a specific project. But
because Of the ceiling they
could not do so, with the re.
suit that realignment Of per.
sonnet caused the use Of mill
tary people and blue collar
workers and frequently caused
the layoffs of white-collar CT.
william employees.
Therefore, Defense Depart
ment officials are hailing the
contribution to better and more
stable personnel use in the de-
Tense agencies.
CONTRACTING OUT - II
reporting the 1860 Defense
Department money bill, the
House Appropriations Commit.
tee also took notice Of the prac.
tice of defense agencies Of con.
tracing out to industry a va.
riety Of projects that have beer
done by Defense Department
civilian workers.
1.-THE committee requests that
no further contracts Of thi;
type be entered into without
urgent military justification
therefor being supplied the
committee in advance" the
committee report stated.
The committee continued
This restriction is. of course
applicable only to the type OF
contract wherein the contractor
undertakes to supply prin-
cipally personnel for the ac-
accomplishment of an admin
Iistrative or managerial task, as
opposed to individual contracts
with consultants, technicians,
or specialists and as opposed
to contracts for routine labor
tasks for maintenance such as
painting, plumbing, carpentry
or the like"
Federal employee leaders who
have fought the contracting
out program because it has
caused layoffs of many civilian
employeS, had asked the COM
lmittee to insert a provision that
would have prevented any con-
tracing out If either the House
or Senate expressed formal dis.
approval.
However, they feel that thu
committees specific request II
1.-THE Defense Department not II
contract out without urgen
military justification and Il
notify the committee in adj
vance of any proposed con
tracing out, is at least a goot
J step in the right direction.
All in all, Government EN-
ploye union officials are quit
pleased with the House Appro
|, priations Committees yariou
provisions in the Defense De
partment'S 1860 money bill.
4 y \ 4
AUTOMATION - The in
creasing use of automation il
4 | Government aIantrOTain dot,