Making it tough to get help

By Maureen Bo

“Face-to-face service could become a thing of the past for many clients when the agency moves into the Jackson Federal Building next year.”

That was the warning issued by the American Federation of Government Workers, the union representing Social Security staff, when the regional administrators overrode protests about their plan to close two easily accessible offices and require Social Security beneficiaries to go to an office in the high-security federal office building.

To enter the Jackson Federal Building, a Level 4 Security building, requires a current official picture ID and electronic scan of any packages brought by the person seeking entry. Social Security has many clients who are either disabled, homeless, mentally ill or some combination of the three. Many have all their belongings in a shopping cart or backpack.

For many clients, the effect of the consolidation would be to deny them the many kinds of help they need and have always been able to get.

On August 12, local union leaders, congressional staff, and advocates for the elderly, homeless and disabled, including the Puget Sound Alliance for Retired Americans, met with Eileen McSherry, Communications Director for the regional Social Security Administration, to protest the consolidation.

McSherry defended the move as a budget-cutting measure, and said the decision, made by the General Services Administration, was final.

Thalia Syracopoulis, a leader in the National Organization for Women and a PSARA member, asked why the consolidated office could not be in the Columbia Tower, wich already houses about 300 Social Security employees, and which has no security requirements. McSherry responded that there was no more room in the Columbia Tower.

Advocates followed up the unsatisfactory session with McSherry with a meeting with staff of Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Representative Jim McDermott, where it was agreed to seek an appropriate office in other federal property.

Our members are urged to contact Regional Commissioner Stanley Friendship at stanley.c.friendship@SSA.gov, phone 206-615-2107 calling on him to reconsider this bureaucratic decision. Calling our two senators and your federal representative would also help.