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Federal Workers to Congress: Leave Us Out of Deficit Deal
The National Journal ^ | November 20th, 2012 | Eric Katz

Posted on 11/20/2012 11:25:03 PM PST by Abiotic

The Federal-Postal Coalition -- a group representing more than two dozen federal employee unions -- pleaded with Congress on Monday to spare their members in any deal related to the "fiscal cliff."

Federal workers, the coalition wrote in a letter, have contributed more than their fair share toward reducing the debt and are the only group that has been targeted so heavily.

“Federal and postal employees and their families are hardworking, middle-class Americans who are struggling during these tough times just like other Americans,” the group wrote. “No other group has been asked to financially contribute the way they have, and it is time our nation’s leaders found other ways to reduce the deficit than continually taking from those who have dedicated their lives to public service.”

According to the coalition, federal employees have funded $60 billion in budget savings in 2011 and 2012 as a result of their ongoing pay freeze and an additional $28 billion in savings will be derived from the freeze extension through March 2013.

Federal workers also contributed $15 billion toward the budget in 2011 when the contribution rate toward retirement pensions was raised to 2.3 percent for new employees.

Top Democratic lawmakers on committees related to the federal workforce told Government Executive last week that they would like to leave federal-employee benefits out of any potential debt deal. After President Obama’s reelection, top federal unions said they were confident their members would not be targeted in such a deal and a pay raise would be instituted.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationaljournal.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: federalworkers; fiscalcliff; postalunion; postoffice; union
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good luck with that............
1 posted on 11/20/2012 11:25:12 PM PST by Abiotic
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To: Abiotic

Would these be the federal workers that owe billions in unpaid income taxes? Help my memory out here.


2 posted on 11/20/2012 11:30:53 PM PST by thescourged1
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To: Abiotic
...when the contribution rate toward retirement pensions was raised to 2.3 percent for new employees.

Hmmmm. I contribute 100% to my retirement fund.

Waaah.

3 posted on 11/20/2012 11:33:10 PM PST by Smokin' Joe (How often God must weep at humans' folly. Stand fast. God knows what He is doing)
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To: Abiotic

Boo Frickin’ Hoo

Gander/Goose

GoesAround/ComesAround

World’s-Smallest-Violin

Life’sabitch


4 posted on 11/21/2012 12:32:19 AM PST by dagogo redux (A whiff of primitive spirits in the air, harbingers of an impending descent into the feral.)
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To: Abiotic

Just like the risk of a losing hand for a gambler, or a market crash for a broker, one of the hazards of a public-sector job is that you live and die by the budget. The perqs are there to make up for it; as a private-sector worker, I had nothing like the retirement plans, healthcare options, and seniority promotions that public workers get.


5 posted on 11/21/2012 12:38:53 AM PST by Little Pig (Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici.)
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To: Abiotic

They won the election.

They’ll get their way.

Have a nice day. :)


6 posted on 11/21/2012 12:54:12 AM PST by Tzimisce (What do you do when every level and every branch of the government is corrupt and aligned against yo)
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To: Abiotic

No doubt it’s indispensible to the national weal to have all those mail order catalogues and supermarket circulars stuffing citizens’ mail boxes.


7 posted on 11/21/2012 1:47:11 AM PST by Jack Hammer
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To: Abiotic

It might not be the rate but the shear number of federal employees. Productivity increases would be nice and cuts in those dopey web sites advertising their greatness would help too.


8 posted on 11/21/2012 1:48:34 AM PST by Thebaddog (Obama won, we lost)
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To: Abiotic
Sure... and these same people will tell you that it is OK to cut the benefits of the retired military. They can stick that. I did 13 of my 23 years overseas away from my home and family. I have already earned what I have and paid the price in full. Now they think they should be exempt from any cuts. Bull Crap.....
9 posted on 11/21/2012 1:50:09 AM PST by oldenuff2no
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To: Abiotic

They bleed the taxpayer ‘til he dies of blood loss.

When they can’t get any more blood from him they curse him out for being so inconsiderate of their needs.


10 posted on 11/21/2012 2:02:07 AM PST by Iron Munro (Robbing From The Hood and Boy Blunder - Our New Queen and King)
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To: Abiotic

Fed “workers” should be Top. Of. The. Cost-Saving. List.


11 posted on 11/21/2012 2:28:20 AM PST by StAnDeliver (Own It.)
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To: Abiotic

10% across the board cuts. EVERY organization can manage through a 10% personnel cut.


12 posted on 11/21/2012 2:34:44 AM PST by gotribe
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To: Abiotic

Wonder how many non-defense related government positions have been cut over the past four years?


13 posted on 11/21/2012 2:35:05 AM PST by VeniVidiVici (Bathhouse Barry wants YOU to bend over for another four years)
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To: Abiotic

Federal workers have us on the hook for their health, pensions, and early retirements until they die. But thats not enough


14 posted on 11/21/2012 2:39:55 AM PST by reefdiver
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To: Little Pig

The perqs are there to make up for it; as a private-sector worker, I had nothing like the retirement plans, healthcare options, and seniority promotions that public workers get.

Damn. Sorry about that. It is such a shame that life gives you choices and you seem to make the wrong ones. Was it that you could not get hired with the federal government? Sorry about that.


15 posted on 11/21/2012 3:18:15 AM PST by napscoordinator (GOP Candidate 2020 - "Bloomberg 2020 - We vote for whatever crap the GOP puts in front of us.")
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To: Abiotic

Let them out. Close their offices. Sell their computers and iphones. Get rid of over 50% of civilian government workers.

They usually have three things on their desks: their feet and a box of Hostess Twinkies.

Many of them are twinkies.


16 posted on 11/21/2012 3:21:29 AM PST by IbJensen (Liberals are like Slinkies, good for nothing, but you smile as you push them down the stairs.)
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To: Abiotic

“Federal workers also contributed $15 billion toward the budget in 2011...”

Gov workers are NOT taxpayers.


17 posted on 11/21/2012 3:23:52 AM PST by JPJones (I wish the buck(s) WOULD stop with me.)
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To: oldenuff2no

Well said.


18 posted on 11/21/2012 3:40:00 AM PST by rlmorel (1793 French Jacobins and 2012 American Liberals have a lot in common.)
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To: thescourged1

Would these be the federal workers that owe billions in unpaid income taxes? Help my memory out here.

Mainly it’s the Federal workers that write new regulations faster than the lawyers can read them. They’re also the ones that vote heavily Democrat.


19 posted on 11/21/2012 4:17:11 AM PST by freedomfiter2 (Brutal acts of commission and yawning acts of omission both strengthen the hand of the devil.)
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To: Abiotic

Shut down the postal service and let FedEx and UPS battle over the mail.

LLS


20 posted on 11/21/2012 4:39:11 AM PST by LibLieSlayer (WOLVERINES!)
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