Plan To Close Half Of Social Security's Field Offices?

From the National Council Digest, put out by the Council 220 of the American Federation of Government Employees, a labor union that represents much of the Social Security Administration's labor force:

The Social Security Administration has devised a plan that would close nearly half of its 1,300 field offices around the United States. “Just three years ago, President Bush was pushing privatization,” said Witold Skwierczynski, President of Council 220. “That proposal failed miserably, but now the White House and high-ranking SSA officials apparently believe they can achieve the same goal by simply getting rid of offices that have 15 or fewer employees.” Council 220 represents over 28,000 Social Security employees, and Skwierczynski has written a letter to hundreds of members of Congress warning them about this proposal and how it will directly affect their district and constituents.