EXCERPT:

"(Labor Secretary Elizabeth Hanford Dole's) proposals will do little to correct the abuse and fraud that experts estimate costs the system more than $4 billion a year. Her ideas don't even address many of the major problems facing workers who rely so heavily on their employers' pension plans, along with Social Security, for their retirement years."

OTHER POINTS:

Pension system about $2.7 trillion (1990)

Dole's proposals expected to be approved by Congress.

Dole's staff too small (260 investigators) to police system. Dole proposes 100-person staff increase and to encourage nation's workers to become "whistle-blowers" and watchdogs over their company pension plans.

Author contends more disclosure must be required of employers to enable employees to be watchdogs.

Author contends that "plan reversions" need to be outlawed, too.

For complete text, contact The Los Angeles Times.