Posted on 02/21/2013 3:31:23 PM PST by SkyPilot
The Defense Department on Wednesday officially notified Congress that it plans to begin furloughing its 800,000 civilian employees across the country if automatic spending cuts begin March 1, estimating the states would lose a total of $4.86 billion in workers’ wages this year.
According to Pentagon estimates, among the hardest-hit states would be Virginia, which would have about 88,000 affected workers and salary losses of $660.9 million; California, with 62,600 workers and $419.7 million in lost wages; and Maryland, with 45,700 workers and $359.3 million in lost earnings.
“This is not a Beltway phenomenon,” Jessica L. Wright, the acting undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, told reporters at the Pentagon. “More than 80 percent of our civilians work outside of the D.C. metro area. They live and work in every state of the union.”
Under the furlough plan, civilian workers would be forced to take one day of unpaid leave each week for 22 weeks from late April through September, costing them about 20 percent of their pay during that time, Pentagon officials said.
In a written message, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told civilian workers that they “will be provided at least 30 days’ notice prior to executing a furlough and your benefits will be protected to the maximum extent possible.”
He added that the Pentagon “also will work to ensure that furloughs are executed in a consistent and appropriate manner.”
Mr. Panetta noted that the department has been funded by a continuing resolution that has limited spending to 2012 levels and said the effects of sequestration may be felt more intensely because of it.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
and persuant to the union contract, they will get 100% of their back pay.
this is all propaganda nonsense.
Just one problem with your thinking. It’s not coming out of appropriations, weapon systems, and travel budgets. It’s coming out of people’s paychecks. If you and every other “good” conservative here took a 20% paycut you’d be marching with the unions and demanding your CEO’s head. But it’s OK because it’s happening to SOMEBODY ELSE. Just remember, they’ll be coming for you soon enough.
If any of the “good” conservatives here facing a 20% paycut, they’d be out marching with the unions and calling for the CEO’s head. But they’re OK as long as it’s happening to somebody else.
Tons of positions in the Air Force have gone from contractor to civil service because of the Dynacorp strike of 2009. When they went on strike, it completely shut down Vance and Sheppard Air Forces Bases and the Queen Bee facility at Randolph, pilot training came to a complete standstill, and it completely trashed the pilot training schedule. Contractors got themselves all but kicked out of there and they’ll never get it back.
Shoddy contractor maintenance caused an Edwards T-38 crash that killed the aircrew. This was a maintenance problem that had repeatedly been found by ORE inspections and at least one IG. I’ve had to deal with ass-hattery on F-16s and it’s maddening to be tasked with fixing what a contractor majorly screwed up (it’s commonly asked, “Where did all these gouges come from, and why does this part look like it’s been pounded with a steel hammer?” Especially on a structural part that has no maintenance and is nearly never touched).
Don’t even get me started on contractors.
With the shoddy treatment of DoD civilians by large numbers of FReepers that are supposedly pro-military, I’m sitting out Freepathons for awhile and coming around this website a lot less. People here say they’re pro-military then kick them straight in the teeth. Great people.
“If any of the “good” conservatives here facing a 20% paycut, they’d be out marching with the unions and calling for the CEO’s head. But they’re OK as long as it’s happening to somebody else.”
You’re kinda being a baby.
It’s easy to say that when it’s happening to somebody else. This is about a lot more than 20% of a paycheck. I’ve worked for the military establishment in one form or another for 25 years, so I find it appalling that the Pentagon is ordering people not to accomplish their mission.
“It’s easy to say that when it’s happening to somebody else.”
It’s happened to me and a lot of other people out in the real world where we pay all the bills. I’m adjusting and adapting.
What you seem to have a problem with is that now it’s happening to you. Where were you when bloated government budgets (including DoD) were killing private enterprise, as they continue to do?
You should whine less, and adapt more.
” I find it appalling that the Pentagon is ordering people not to accomplish their mission.”
No, you find it appalling that you have a mission that you are getting paid less to accomplish.
That is what people in the real world deal with every day.
You whine way too much. Just do your job and be thankful you are only getting a 20% pay cut.
Funny, I don’t remember putting myself into this little equation. And I don’t need a little know-it-all bitch (yeah, you) telling me what I gotta to do. I’ve built myself a pretty decent life from being a busboy making $88/week (in the 1980s). You sure have a great insight from reading 3 posts. Put it to music, pal, because your ass is out of its element on this subject.
You posted your whiny “I’m losing 20%” post. There is a real world out there, and you’re completely oblivious to it, and the obligations under which the private sector must labor to pay for folks like you who cannot see beyond their own (taxpayer funded) paycheck.
You’re welcome for the pretty decent life you built yourself (with a little help from the folks who actually provided the money).
Now just have the decency to suck it up and quit whining it is FAR FAR harder out in the real world. Give it a try if you dare, somehow, I doubt you ever will.
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