Posted on 11/29/2010 11:13:41 AM PST by Justaham
President Obama on Monday proposed a two-year freeze on federal pay, saying federal workers must sacrifice to reduce the nation’s budget deficit.
Obama made the announcement a day before he is to meet with Republican leaders about a lame-duck session expected to be dominated by tax and spending issues.
Obama called for Republicans and Democrats to come together with a renewed sense of sobriety in dealing with the federal deficit, beginning with the two-year freeze on federal pay.
“The hard truth is that getting this deficit under control is going to require some hard sacrifice,” Obama said in remarks from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.
The president, still sporting stitches on his lip from a Thanksgiving weekend run-in on the basketball court, said he did not reach the decision to call for a freeze on federal worker pay lightly.
“This is not just a line-item on a federal ledger,” he said. “These are people's lives.”
Still, Obama said Republicans, Democrats and federal workers are all going to have to sacrifice for the good of the long-term economic picture.
“After all, small businesses and families are tightening their belts,” Obama said. “Their government should, too.”
The president said the pay freeze would save $2 billion for the next fiscal year and $28 billion over the next two years.
The pay of federal workers increasingly has come under the microscope as the economy has struggled to rebound from a recession.
(Excerpt) Read more at thehill.com ...
Is this after they get their raise? How about a 10% reduction in federal employees, for a start.
If they’re Union and under contract, I don’t see how he can do this. He is not the purse.
WHY do we need to sacrifice?? WHY don’t THEY just quit spending??
Isn’t a lot of the govt spending the fed payroll?
Lastly, this isn't a "freeze" -it's just no COLA.
Looks like the freeze expires just in time for the 2012 presidential election. Blame the Republicans for extending the freeze? Wow...
I’m guessing the “freeze” is just for Cost Of Living (COL) increases. Promotions and within-grade longevity increases (Ex: GS-12 step 6 to GS-12 step 7) will probably not be affected.
“If they’re Union and under contract, I don’t see how he can do this. He is not the purse.”
Obama can noly propose it. Congress authorizes the appropriations. The Federal unions have no negotiating power over pay.
Freezing probably prevents needed reductions, conservatives are calling for implementing.
Obama has been huge on making executive decisions/orders. The Most ever, isn't it?
God help us in our day, in Jesus name, amen.
Seems just about anything is possible.
Yep, a 10% pay cut would be better. It is obscene what federal workers make these days....not to mention their ridiculous benefits and retirement packages....most of them couldn’t hold a job at WalMart if they were forced into the private sector.
Just one big joke. Meaningless and pure BS.
Then it is not much of a “pay freeze,” since it is mostly through these “step increases” – which are based on time ‘in grade’ — that most federal employees get raises.
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http://www.opm.gov/oca/pay/html/wgiqa.asp
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Isn’t that an impressive sacrifice? How many people wouldn’t like to have their pay (and benefits) guaranteed for two years at a level that is twice that of the private sector?
Not to mention that at the end of the two years (if not before) their salaries will be jacked up to make up the difference.
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http://sweetness-light.com/archive/obama-announces-2-yr-fed-pay-freeze
but don't check those "federal fees" on everything from soup to nuts...FEES ARE TAXES...NUMB NUTS
This works best because, when you refuse to cut positions, employees become complacent, and KYJ ceases to be a motivator. Secondly, when the decision is made to monkey with everone's pay, rather than just eliminating a few, you end up with lower productivity on the part of EVERYONE. There's no incentive to work harder and keep a job you're not afraid you'll lose. Combine this with the fact that almost everyone whose pay is "frozen" here is in the union, and we face a tremendous reduction in productivity, if such a thing is possible among government employees.
They should. I taken a pay cut, pay freeze and many shutdown days during this ‘recession’ just to keep on paying their salaries.
Anyone want to be how long until the 9th circuit stays the order, leaving obammy with his hands conveniently tied?
He doesn’t need to “propose”. He can legally make it happen with an executive order.
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