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 ...
A civil war between The Right and The Left. That’s, probably, where we are all heading towards.
I don't owe any taxes and I'm a Federal worker who earns his pay. I understand the sentiments but it's disturbingly left-wing style blanket coverage in the way it gets "reported/commented on" in the comments.
They voted for him, they can have him.
Boo-hoo, blood-suckers. At least 25% of the federal workforce could be laid off and no one would know it. It is just another welfare scam, only it pays much better than the others.
Frankly, for me, it can’t happen soon enough. I do not see any way we can coexist with the Left. I would prefer it be without violence, but if not, oh well.
For those who remember the old Soviet Union, it was a grim place — at least for average citizens. But not so for those in government. Contrary to the official ideals of equality and a classless society that the ruling communist regime espoused, the USSR created a privileged class of party members inside government — the nomenklatura.
This semipermanent bureaucracy earned higher incomes, got better health care, ate better food and had greater job security than average Russians, the much-despised proletarians. Today, our bloated government seems, in significant ways, to be creating this same dynamic.
All us private sector folks can sell our foreclosure homes and move into an apartment so the public sector can get a raise,retire at 55 with 80% of their highest salary, and move into our old homes.
“Gov workers are NOT taxpayers.”
Not sure what that’s supposed to mean, I’m a federal employee and I pay my taxes every year.
Everyone is on the chopping block.
You are paid with tax money.
So the fact that you pay taxes (as my wife does as a teacher), is a bit odd. Your salary, and my bride’s, comes from taxes.
There was a congressmen years ago that suggested that federal salaries be adjusted to what the actual take home amount was, and then don’t charge them federal income tax. Since the money spent to process the returns made it a net loss.
I think he meant that Federal workers are paid with private taxpayer dollars. Therefore, the "taxes" paid by federal employees are nothing more than returning some of the private taxpayer dollars to the government.
OK you clarified yourself. Anyone know if the EBT folks pay taxes?
Also fyi, I am on my third year of a pay freeze, no COLA, no bonus of any kind, nothing. Maybe that's the way it should be. I've been in federal service for 23 years and make around 68K. I don't think that's an outrageous annual salary do you?
FU you leeching, thieving pieces of S**T. I hope you all lose your jobs, starting with the Postal “workers.”
the GS 11 and up employees are the biggest drag on the Treasury and the trend has been towards more and more higher paid goobermint workers. The Federal worker bees under GS 7 retire with very meager income. Government Elite is the problem and the ranks are growing.
Yeah, I understand, but that really can’t be help can it?
Ive seen alot of frustration with regards to fed employees here on FR, some of it valid some not. I keep reading these comments on how much we make. It’s not always accurate. When the media reports it the folks I work with have no idea where these salary #s come from. maybe in DC but not where I work. lol
Without seeing your qualifications and job requirements, we have no way of knowing whether your salary is outrageous or not. Also, that $68k is your salary, right? How much additional do you receive P.A. in benefits?
I would imagine my benifits are comparable to anyones.
I’m afraid i cant provide details about what I do as i’m in the DOD. I know fed workers get a bad rap here (and sometimes rightfully so) but there are many like myself who work hard for the American taxpayer you can believe that. Do we have sluggo employees? Sure do. But not all.
Also, before anyone asks, I work nights and I’m on leave for Tgiving so don’t worry about why i’m on FR on WEDS morning. lol
It's likely that benefits would add another 40% to overall compensation.
FWIW, the FDIC gets it right: a small permanent staff, augmented by term employees to handle spikes in the workload. Several thousand people were hired back in 2008-2009 to handle the additional workload brought on by the financial crisis. They were hired under two year contracts, with an agency option for two additional years.
As the crisis is winding down, so is the FDIC workforce. Temporary offices in Irvine, CA and Schaumberg, IL have been closed, and the remaining work has been transferred to its regional office in Dallas. A third temporary office in Jacksonville will remain open through 1st quarter 2014.
The powers that be in DC would do well to analyze how well the system worked for the FDIC, ranked by its employees as the "Best Agency to Work For" in 2011.
I would not assume that your benefits are typical, as Federal workers receive on average far more than their private sector counterparts.
I’m sure you are a very hard worker and a good person. It’s unfortunate that all Federal workers get painted with the same brush, but that’s where we are due to the ridiculous growth and dominion of the Federal government over us Americans who are paying for it.
A 50% haircut of the Federal workforce would be a good start. The Postal service and Amtrak, in particular, should be liquidated, and a number of Departments eliminated entirely.
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