Posted on 11/20/2012 8:20:40 PM PST by BenLurkin
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 ...
Though most Americans have LOST income in ObamaHarry Reid's regnancy.
Pardon me why I get sick!
System was changed in 1987. I suspect your neighbor was hired before that. If so he was “grandfathered in”. Reagan significantly altered (read reduced) the pension system for Federal Workers. People hired after 1987 don’t get that kind of deal.
http://www.opm.gov/retire/pre/fers/computation.asp
“Federal and postal employees...struggling during these tough times just like other Americans,” the group wrote”
I’m all out of patience for liars so, f-off.
But he did get a buy out at a young age. That wouldn’t effect his health care?
affect not effect silly.
Most federal government employees hired before January 1, 1984 are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System. Under this plan are eligible for Medicare when they reach the age of eligibility.
Eligibility would be 55 with 30 years of service. Not true for those hired after that.
In the last three three years Federal Workers got zero raise and were required to contribute more to their retirement. In that time inflation was 3.16 % 2010, 1.64 % 2011 and will be around 2.5% 2012. That means Fed Employee real salary has decreased over 7%. They were also required to contribute more to their pensions (an additional 1.5%) so the real salary has gone down about 8.5%. Also, the Federal health benefits program is NOT exempted from Obama care. Like many of you the amount allowed in Health Savings account was significantly cut this year by Obama care. While I realize no one is crying for the federal worker it is true that they too are feeling the squeeze of this economy. White Collar Federal worker make a lot less than civilian employees:
“The data show that employees on average are more than 40 percent behind in San Francisco-San Jose, San Diego, Los Angeles and New York.”
http://www.washingtonpost.
com/politics/decision2012/pay-gap-widens-for-federal-workers-panel-says/2012/10/19/b47b2f6a-1a15-11e2-aa6f-3b636fecb829_story.html
Come on, that's not an outrageous salary. Seriously. No sacasm in my reply.
How far down do you want the middle class to go? God forbid someone should earn enough money to afford at least a modest home, put their kids through college, eat out at a restaurant without it being a luxury.
If there are any federal functions that actually provide me a service, it is the post office.
I agree, $48K is chump change. I imagine plotting a career as a full-time welfare recipient pays nearly the same. You get what you pay for.
This article is about gov workers in Greece, right?
A pay freeze, horrors! How about the private sector where some have learned to live on 40% less income since Bams took office, and the huge number of small business owners that haven’t taken a paycheck in the last 10 months.
Let it burn. The only way out is to let it all crash.
We lost that battle.
Starve the beast. That's the new front.
““The data show that employees on average are more than 40 percent behind in San Francisco-San Jose, San Diego, Los Angeles and New York.”
You are cherry-picking the data with this and the post re: postgrad educations,oldernittany. How about the Feds that work across every city and town in the country?
Sorry, I’m believing my “lyin’ eyes” in what I see from my friends, neighbors and relatives on the federal wagon.
Need to punish them evil rich folks too because they have lots of money.
Yes, cut Social Security benefits and Medicare, those programs where non-governmental employees have actually contributed to their benefits -" no cuts to us just cut them!"
Ya. Boo-hoo.
Of course they’re feeling the effects of the economy. The part of the quote that’s a lie is ‘just like’ which even you point out is not the case.
I used to tolerate little lies of qualification but the nation is dying and now is the time for everyone who loves freedom and their children’s future to put the hammer down on every single piece of BS they can.
Get serious or the United States is over.
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