Trump blocks pay raise for 1.5 million federal workers, calls for no increase next year

Washington Examiner ^ | Aug. 30, 2018

[deplorableindc]

President Trump on Thursday blocked an automatic pay raise for 1.5 million federal workers, and asked Congress to pass legislation with no increase next year for employees covered by the General Schedule pay system.

“Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases,” Trump wrote in a Thursday letter to congressional leaders, a formality that blocks an automatic 2.1 percent raise from taking effect in January under the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act.

"I have determined that for 2019, both across‑the‑board pay increases and locality pay increases will be set at zero," Trump wrote.

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Hit the Deep State right in the pocket.

They won’t be happy.

[Pollard]

Well that ought to make some of the leftists quit or do something to show their stripes.

[wgmalabama]

DOD not really. Strong Trump support in DOD. Others not so much.

[I want the USA back]

They were not going to vote for him anyway.

[Wayne07]

Here is one: ICE. Take whatever list makes you happy, then look at every other federal employee, should they get a pay freeze or should the job be eliminated? This is a half measure. If it were a business and you had a redundant department, would you freeze their pay, or get rid of the department?

[WMarshal]

I can barely type due to an unexpected MAGA-ON.

[JohnBrowdie]

I made a flatly indisputable statement of political fact. I’m terribly sorry that difficult truths give you a terminal case of butt hurt, but perhaps you should just try to deal it.

and, by the way, “courageously” typing angry words about leadership into an internet discussion forum is cowardly. so, there’s that.

[olivia3boys]

I’m a federal employee so I’m a little saddened by this; however on the other hand Trump’s tax cut helped me and my family A LOT! So it’s kind of a wash.

(Obama also nixed federal raises during several years of his 2 terms, especially during the 2008-10 timeframe.)

I’m an oddity: a federal employee and a Californian who voted for Trump and will do so again. Despite no raise this year. :)

[HollyB]

Here’s the thing - Obama did not give pay raises for 3 years in a row. Now suddenly, they are acting like this is awful. Have they forgotten?

[HollyB]

I didn’t get anything during those 3 years either. I don’t recall my liberal co- workers throwing the fuss they are today.

[IYAS9YAS]

Just in case someone cares over time.

Interesting that it leaves out most of the Bush years (the 2009 pay raise would have been okayed by Bush, not Obama).

2002 - 3.6%
2003 - 3.1%
2004 - 2.7%
2005 - 2.5%
2006 - 2.1%
2007 - 1.7%
2008 - 2.5%
2009 - 2.9%

This doesn't include any locality pay increases, either. Just the base. For the 8 years Bush was in office federal GS Schedule (there are more than just GS schedules) base pay increased a grand total of 23.7% (when taken year-by-year). Under Obama, the raise in 2010 was 1.5%, then no raises for three years, then four years at 1.0%. For these years, total federal base pay rose a net total of 6.1% over 8 years. Big difference between Bush and Obama regarding federal pay. And Bush was supposed to be a conservative, and Obama was supposed to love him some fed employees.

Source for the data prior to 2008 - https://archive.opm.gov/oca/12tables/index.asp

Funny how it's OPM.gov (Office of Personnel Management). Reminds me of Other Peoples' Money.

[poconopundit]

Yes, overpaid. And how does one determine "overpaid"?

Well one way is to look at job quitting rates in the Federal government versus private industry.

If Federal employees are staying at their jobs in a full employment economy, then they are voting satisfaction in their pay. If their rate of quitting is greater than private industry, then they probably need to be paid more.

Anyway, I found a BLS chart that tells the story. Bottom line, comparing quit rates for June 2018:

Federal workers are 5 times more likely to keep their job than private workers.

So by and large, Federal employees are happy campers.

[HollyB]

Uh??? On the contrary!!!

[sailor76]

VA just got harder to carry.
================

Who cares? These clock watching gov pukes didn't vote for him anyway.

[chris37]

No matter what the issue, there will always be some Repubic that opens his mouth and shows how to vag it up.

Congrats, you’re one of those!

[Graybeard58]

Anybody know if we get an S.S. C.O.L.A. raise in Jan.?

[Safetgiver]

Have they forgotten?.......No. Just ignore the facts, fool.

[pas]

I am in that same no raise boat.

[sharkhawk]

A lot of them will get raises anyway. If they are at all like our local government they are on step salaries anyway. You get a salary based on how many years you’re in the job and these raises are actually raising the salary levels for that step. If the steps are 2%. The person gets a 2% increase plus the 2.1% raise

[hoagy62]

I know a Federal worker who absolutely supports the President’s action. He says that people just show up for work and expect to get raises just for showing up. No incentive to improve. It’ll affect him, but he doesn’t mind.