Brock Scraps Plans to Cut Jobs, Downgrade 3 Offices

Labor Secretary William Brock on Tuesday scrapped proposals to downgrade regional offices in three cities and cut 196 federal jobs, moves he said would have hurt the Labor Department’s enforcement activities.

The budget proposal for fiscal 1986 by aides to Brock’s predecessor, Raymond J. Donovan, would have saved $10 million a year, but a statement by the new labor secretary said, “Simply in terms of cost versus benefits, such a closure is not justifiable.”

The proposal would have ended Labor Department regional office administrative functions in Boston, Kansas City and Seattle.

The nearest regional Labor Department offices, New York, Denver and San Francisco, would have taken over the administrative functions for the three experiencing the cuts.

Boston, Kansas City and Seattle would have remained staffed with other Labor Department personnel, but their status as regional offices would have been downgraded. In addition, some 150 of the remaining employees would have been transferred.

The budget proposal drew strong opposition on Capitol Hill and the switch by Brock was welcomed by congressmen whose districts would have been affected by the cuts.

“The services we provide as well as our enforcement activities--in employment standards, worker safety and occupational health among others--are vital to too many citizens,” Brock said in explaining his decision.

He said the department would continue to search for cost savings in other areas, and he added that “I believe the continuation of full cost-effective services in our 10 regional offices will contribute to this goal.”

Brock was sworn in as Labor secretary April 29. Donovan, who resigned March 15 to face trial on fraud and larceny charges in connection with a New York City subway construction project, had been on unpaid leave of absence since Oct. 1, 1984.