Obama to Freeze Pay for Most Federal Workers (for 2 Years)

NYT ^ | 11-29-10 | Peter Baker

[pillut48]

WASHINGTON -- President Obama plans to announce a two-year pay freeze for civilian federal workers later Monday morning, according to an administration official, the latest White House move intended to demonstrate concern over sky-high deficit spending.

[FrankR]

Hey, I’d be happy if they freeze my pay at the level the fed workers get paid (average).

[dogcaller]

As soon as the Poseur gets the smallest pushback from anyone in the government he will crank up the waiver machine. His statements mean absolutely nothing, indeed, they are signal indicators you should expect the reverse to actually happen.

[kabar]

Reagan in his deal with Tip O'Neil on the passage of P.L. 98-21, (H.R. 1900) Social Security Amendments of 1983-Signed on April 20, 1983 agreed to make SS mandatory for all federal employees hired after 1983. The act also increased taxes and raised the retirement age for full benefits from 65 to 67.

There is still a civil service pension system, plus SS and the Thrifty Plan [the equivalent of a 401K program. Federal employees have a three-legged stool of pensions.

[skimbell]

"...While a pay freeze will make only a small dent in the federal deficit, it represents a symbolic gesture toward public anger over unemployment, the anemic economic recovery and rising national debt..."

B.S! Wont happen. By the end of the week various groups of federal employees will be presenting their cases and 0 will dutifully cave in and start granting exemptions.

The whole thing will turn into another 0 In Wonderland scam.

[ColdOne]

intended to demonstrate concern over sky-high deficit spending Really "intended to demonstrate concern" as apposed to really concerning themselves over this? Hmmpt!

[MichaelP]

How about a cut, like I had to take?

Mike

[kabar]

No, there will be a freeze. Congress will approve it overwhelmingly. It is good politics.

[csmusaret]

That is exactly what Obama is preventing with his freeze-pay cuts.

[A.A. Cunningham]

freeze

[RabidBartender]

Can you imagine if Bush had proposed this?

[DManA]

This will lead to a massive exodus of Federal employees to the private sector.

Sorry, just daydreaming.

[jazminerose]

Doesn’t this just about cinch the union take over of TSA?

[Nachum]

The list, ping

Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list

http://www.nachumlist.com/

[justlurking]

Preemptive strike.

Obama is worried that the GOP House will cut pay back to 2008 levels and reduce headcount back to 2008 levels.

This is just an attempt to preserve the huge run-up in federal government payroll over the past two years.

[ladyvet]

And in two years they will all get retro back pay.

[umgud]

Add a hiring freeze along with workforce reductions. This could be done thru attrition.

[nutmeg]

having some experience in this particular field, let me tell you what it means.....the money for the pay increase was already “assumed” in each agency’s budget request for salaries. This means that without a pay increase this money is freed up. Because you must spend all the money you receive (to avoid lapsing funds), this “extra” money is now available to hire additional employees.

Sorry to report, but that’s exactly what happens.

28 posted on Monday, November 29, 2010 11:32:20 AM by The Big Boo (Lone Wolf M/C)

Interesting post, Big Boo.

[napscoordinator]

I truly don’t get what you are talking about. Our Secretaries are getting 28,000 a year. One gets 32,000 a year because she has over 30 years. I don’t see anybody getting rich on their sacrifice.

[Daffynition]

My initial thoughts exactly.

[hoyt-clagwell]

I truly don’t get what you are talking about. Our Secretaries are getting 28,000 a year. One gets 32,000 a year because she has over 30 years. I don’t see anybody getting rich on their sacrifice.

It has been proven fed gov't employees pay is way higher than the private sector for the comparable job. You are also leaving out the generous benefit package.