European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Wednesday february 12, 1992 the stars and stripes b Page 5chances sour for retirement sweeteners by Mike Causey the Washington Post Washington a interest in Early retirement from the Federal government has dropped since the recession forced private companies to go out of business Lay off workers or cease hiring. In addition Federal and Union officials say Many retirement age workers Are staying on the Job because they expect some kind of financial sweetener this year to lure them into retirement. But the pros who watch legislation and the economic situation say it Isnit going to happen. A the Boxer Bill which would give four years of additional age service credit to employees who retire when their agencies Are facing cutbacks is dead a Nicholas Nolan director of the Federal government service task Force said monday. The task Force is made up of senators and representatives who track civil service legislation. Nolan said the Bill sponsored by rep. Barbara Boxer d-calif., has too High a Price tag an estimated $2 billion. He also said it rewards the wrong people a retirement age workers who Are hanging on in Hopes of getting an extra four years of pension boosting credit to retire. Nolan said a Long pending plan by sen. William v. Roth jr., r-del., for a government wide Early out will never see the Light of Day because it drastically limits Agency authority to fill vacancies created by Carlo retirees. Last year the government offered Early retirement to employees in 81 locations or agencies mostly in the defense department. Based on preliminary data on Early outs Only 180 employees retired out of the 2,976 that were eligible. The average Early Retiree was age 53, had 26 years of service and earned $29,000. Normally Federal employees can retire at age 55 after 30 years at age 60 with 20 years and at age 62 with five years of service. Those who retire at age 55 with 30 years service Start with a pension equal to 56g percent of their highest three year average salary. The 60-20 Retiree gets 36 4 percent of the three year average and the Retiree with five years service gets 1percent of the average. During Early outs employees can retire at age 50 with 20 years of service or at any age after 25 years of service. They take a 2 percent pension Cut for each year under age 55. A people Are waiting for the outside Job Market to improve and also for some kind of a magic offer from the government that will provide an incentive to retire Quot a Federal official said monday. Unfortunately there is no such incentive on the horizon and no pressure from agencies a even those planning cutbacks a for an Early out , toys r in despite Tough times new York police officer Christopher Arborn leans Over a crash test Dummy monday to look at a new toy line called incredible crash dummies at the annual toy fair. New York up the nations toy makers monday introduced Battery operated cars with cellular telephones and other High tech playthings at the annual toy fair and said the recession had skirted their Industry. Sales of monopoly a mainstay of the toy Industry Are booming and a spokesman for Parker Brothers which makes the classic game said a it always does Well in wholesale toy shipments were up 5.6 percent in 1991, led by Strong demand for dolls electronics and sports related toys said Harry Pearce chairman of the toy manufacturers of America inc., which sponsors the fair. A ironically enough with the american Economy Down and consumer Confidence lower than usual parents Are spending As much a or even More a on their Chil Dren for toys and juvenile furniture Quot Pearce said. Retail sales in the toy Industry were 1.4 percent higher last year than in 1990, he said. At toys a a re us inc., one of the largest toy manufacturers All toys in different a Rice ranges performed Well said Greg Taley senior vice president of merchandising for its International division. The company is based in Rochelle Park . The theme of the fair which runs through feb. 19, was toys that emulate grown up life a Battery operated sports cars with cellular telephones electronic Dart boards with automatic scoring san Francisco based Aviva sports lightweight Golf clubs and balls plastic Toolbox sets stereo cassette players for toddlers and a vanity set with fake Nail polish non cutting scissors and a blow dryer by Little tikes co. Of Hudson Ohio. In the. Stars and stripes10 years ago feb. 12,1982 a White House travel manager Joseph Canzeri resigned after acknowledging that he had twice submitted double Bills for trips and had accepted Low interest Loans from Laurence Rockefeller and a California developer.20 years ago feb. 12,1972 a the los Angeles times said author Clifford Irving and his research aide admitted to Federal authorities that they had never met billionaire industrialist Howard Hughes subject of Irving a purported autobiography.30 year Sago feb. 12,1962 the United states began pushing a strategy in South Vietnam aimed at Clearing communist guerrillas from one area at a time rather than trying to spread resources thin and mop up the entire country at once.40 years ago feb. 12,1952 a democrats moved to join republicans to sweep hoodlum elements out of the Tough West Side wards of Chicago As Public indignation reached nearly unprecedented Heights Over the Gangland Type slaying of Republican committeeman Charles Gross. Three other political figures reported death threats. Fewer workers test positive for drugs Philadelphia a the percentage of american workers and Job applicants who failed drug tests declined for the fifth straight year in 1991, a drug testing company said monday. Even so 8.8 percent of the 2.2 million people tested in 1991 came up positive said Smith Kline Beecham clinical laboratories. The company reported in february 1991 that 11 percent of the workplace drug tests it conducted were positive in 1990, Down from 12.7 percent in 1989 and 13 6 percent in 1988. The labs president Harry Groome said the company has seen More than a 50 percent drop since 1987 in the percentage of workers testing positive for drugs. Despite the trend a it is of great concern that we found 56,000 people on the Worl 0 War 12 feb. 194 2 the japanese launch heavy attacks on the final British. Defensive line around Singapore in Europe the German Battle cruisers Scharnhorst and Greisen a and the heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen escape from the French port of Brest and elude attacks by the British Fleet. In the English Channel but both Battle cruisers Are damaged by mines before they reach Refuge in Germany. Job or looking for jobs positive for cocaine last year a Groome said. A and most of these people knew in Advance they were going to be tested for the company reported positive test results for 2.6 percent of 400,000 tested workers and applicants in federally regulated transportation jobs. The testing was done under a Federal program that began in december 1989 for airline pilots and mechanics Railroad employees truck Drivers and others in a safety sensitive jobs. They were tested for at least one of five substances marijuana cocaine amphetamines opiates and the hallucinogenic tranquil Izer phencyclidine hydrochloride or pc. Others in the general work Force were tested for those and five other drugs including barbiturates valium and methadone. A employees of Small trucking comp Nies were tested for the first time in 1991. Smith Kline reported that marijuana and cocaine were the most commonly detected drugs. Drugs used among those testing positive in the general work Force idea a a marijuana at 34.6 percent co Odi Azetine at inglut _ Caine at 29 percent Benzi 13.5 percent opiates at 10 percent methadone at 2.3 percent and pc at 0.9 percent. Among transportation workers and Job applicants who tested positive drugs included marijuana at 46.8, cocaine at 34 percent opiates at 13.4 percent amphetamines at 3.4 and pc at 2.2 percent. Smith Kline Beecham clinical laboratories based in suburban King of Prussia is a unit of Smith Kline Beecham. Source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith a publishers inc world almanac Book of world War ii Bison books corp1981 a year ago Day 27 feb. 12 Allied warplanes Pound Baghdad. Witnesses say communications government and Industrial installations Are hit. Marine armoured vehicles Exchange tire with iraqi troops in Kuwait. No . Casualties Are reported. The battleship Missouri uses its 16-Inch guns in action for the first time since the korean War targeting prefabricated Concrete bunkers the iraqis were moving into Kuwait. A
