Posted on 02/09/2013 3:09:51 PM PST by Libloather
The president of the American Federation of Government Employees says a one-percent increase is "absolutely unconscionable."
The head of the largest federal employee union said Saturday that President Obama's proposal to increase pay for federal employees by 1 percent was "absolutely unconscionable" and "simply not enough."
"It is not enough to allow federal employees to make up lost ground from two-plus years of frozen pay. It is not enough to allow workers, most of whom earn very modest salaries ranging from $24,000 to $70,000, to maintain living standards. And it is not enough to send a message with any kind of clarity that the administration values the federal workforce and doesn't believe it should continue to bear an enormously disproportionate share of deficit reduction," David Cox Sr., the president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), said in a statement.
The White House told labor leaders of the proposed increase in the 2014 fiscal year budget in a phone call late Friday night. That raise would come on top of the half-point pay hike, scheduled to take effect in late March, which has been delayed as part of the "fiscal cliff" deal struck last month. Federal salaries have been frozen since 2011.
AFGE pledged in its statement to "work with friends in Congress who truly value the federal workforce," a signal that the union will likely lobby liberal members of Congress to oppose the president's budget.
Other union leaders have also voiced concern over the president's proposed pay raise, saying that the minimal increase over three years does little to compensate for the rising cost of living.
“While the president’s proposal for a 1 percent pay increase for federal workers in 2014 is better than a pay freeze, I don’t feel like jumping and shouting for joy,” Carl Goldman, executive director of the AFSCME Council 26 told Government Executive.
“There are a number of unanswered questions concerning the proposal: Will there also be locality pay increases that reflect the higher cost of living in many areas? Will there be a raise in federal employees’ contributions to the health insurance program, which could have the net effect of a pay cut? It is difficult to know exactly how to react until these and similar questions are answered," he said.
Still, other labor groups applauded the president's budget request.
“After all that federal workers have sacrificed the past three years, they have earned a raise,” William R. Dougan, national president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, told CNN. “I repeat, they have earned a raise. We are pleased to see the president take a bold stance and advocate for this badly-needed pay adjustment."
Despite the president's request for a raise, the likelihood that federal workers see an actual increase is very much in doubt. Congressional Republicans are unlikely to support the president's budget, and voted earlier this year to freeze the salaries of lawmakers and federal employees.
In a statement in January, House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) characterized Obama's push for a pay increase as "not necessary to retain talented employees and just wastes taxpayer money.”
“Federal employees have continued to receive promotions and within-grade pay increases over the past few years of the supposed ‘pay freeze,’ and voluntary separations from the federal government are near all-time lows,” he said.
He’s going through hoops trying to get retirement pay. It’s awful. But, let’s increase the EPA employees pay while he was off fighting terrorists. It’s absolutely disgusting. Our gov is broken, we need to right it, but with idiots voting for Obama, it’s never going to happen.
You’d probably have a short life expectancy.
Right after we get balanced budget. So never at this rate.
I hope these thugs keep it up. An excellent illustration of what is happening. Maybe it will start to irritate some of those low-info taxpayers.
BOOHOO! They make "modest salaries" of $75K? Really? CUT CUT CUT. Hack and slash. Downsize.
Give em a 1 percent raise in exchange for a 10 percent cut in staffing.
I did it for 24 years. Your Son in Law deployed 5 times had his pay tax free, added allowances for various things especially if it is to Iraq or Afghanistan. I made a TON more in the military than I do now.
I can’t speak for the EPA, but I do know that people who work at the Naval Academy work pretty darn hard. I see it everyday and believe me if I saw differently, I would say so.
Are GS-4’s among the illegals?
HAHA. Must be an American Citizen and have at least a Bachelor’s Degree.
Everyday work that we did was required by statute, but if the vendor/contractor was without fault, the checks were redundant.
The venues where I worked have either been eliminated or turrned over to foreign operators.
So in closing FU to all of you who spew the F’ing lies of think tanks. Take the time to learn the truth and you won't appear as stupid as liberals are.
DoD civil servants haven’t seen a raise in 5 years and counting.
Freakin cry baby whiny unions.
They have been adding jobs like crazy. Those who held jobs prior to 2010 are being short-changed to pay the salaries of newcomers and. I suspect, bonuses for upper-level exects.
Unconscionable. Only those who know that this is the dance that has to play out will understand. Then Obama will say that to keep the best they need to be paid well so they don’t leave. The benefits (including salary) will be increased greatly because this was the promise for help in reelecting Obama.
BTW, I’ve seen only 1 raise in 6 years. Yes my boss is cheap but our business has hung on through those same years without a great drop in business.
Sounds like the two places were good to get rid of. I don’t have a problem with getting rid of a lot of government agencies, but I hate when DOD is clumped into the entire group. I guess the whole one spoiled apple ruins the bunch. So true. I just know that at the Naval Academy there are really good dedicated people. I am not even talking about myself because there are people that put me to shame. I have easily witnessed Faculty leaving at 10 at night probably to go home and work another few hours before school the next day. is that every Professor? Heck no but I would say there are better professors than not.
He didn't say that slick... What's the matter, are you another one on the bloated government payroll?
Did ya lose sight of the fact that government at all levels has all but left America dead on the floor?
Where ya been Solo?
Ya think tens of millions of Americans failed to notice this?
Thanks Libloather.
It's killing the U.S.....Ya haven't noticed?
I could be wrong but assuming you're another on the bloated fat gov payroll, you people are choking us off. And your foreign policies are costing multiple trillions in tax dollars as government loots the American treasure and economically gang rapes the American private sector.
Enough!
Note that I used to be a Federal Employee x2.
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