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Incoming Senate Panel Chairman Wants to Cut Your Pay, Pension
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) ^ | November 14, 2014 | The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE)

Posted on 11/14/2014 5:09:18 PM PST by mdittmar

The incoming chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee has been outspoken about his plans to cut federal employees’ pay and pensions. Besides his previous proposal, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin spoke with the Washington Post this week and discussed what he wants to do when he takes over the committee in January. On his chopping block are federal employees’ pay, health insurance, pensions, and the right to join a union.

“I think it’s unrealistic for public-service employees to believe they are immune from modifications to their pay and benefit packages,” said Sen. Johnson, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He went on to say “those things in the private sector have been modified dramatically.”

It’s important to note that a pension is delayed payment for work already done, a condition for taking a job. It’s the employee’s money withheld and invested by the employer to be paid at the employee’s retirement when he/she can no longer work. If the employer cuts the employee’s pension, that means the employer has either embezzled or misspent the employee’s money. The employer is engaging in theft. The same is true for health care.

Obviously inspired by Walmart, Johnson also takes aim at federal employees’ worker protections and the freedom of association. He told the Post, “I really don’t think that the public-sector employees should be unionized.” So the senator wants federal employees to take whatever compensation their employer offers, most likely with ever changing work schedules, no guaranteed overtime pay, and little or no medical care and pension. He appears to oppose the idea of fairness, justice, equality, opportunity, and prosperity. Without a union, employees are basically slaves to their employer.

Meanwhile, Johnson supports massive tax giveaways for corporations and blocked a bill that would end tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas. But he voted against a bill that would end the government shutdown, blocked a bill that would help veterans find good jobs and get the health care they need, voted against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, voted against a bill that would provide employment protections to gay and transgender workers, and voted to repeal the healthcare law that provides coverage to the uninsured and those with pre-existing conditions.


TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Wisconsin
KEYWORDS: afge; aflcio; ronjohnson; unions; wisconsin
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To: entropy12
"I worked for the government for a dozen years. Our benefits were tremendous, way better than anything from my jobs in private industry. 5 weeks vacation to start, 9% contribution by employer to my 401-k, life time healthcare insurance after 10 years service at age 55, unlimited sick leave, free physicals every year, unused vacation days accumulation up to 2 months, 90% subsidized healthcare insurance, etc."

It has changed a lot. It is still much better than most private employment, but no where as good as it was.

Now it is 1% of pay for every year of employment, you can still can save up to 2 months of annual leave, health care is no longer subsidized, it will contribute up to 5% of you pay in your 401 if you also contribute the same.

41 posted on 11/14/2014 8:52:39 PM PST by fini
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To: mdittmar

I have two jobs.

One working for the taxpayers and the other working for a non-government employer.

There are differences and its obvious that the government pay and benefits are more generous than the non-government pay and benefits.

Its time to government employees to “give back” but its also time for government as a whole to be downsized to save taxpayers money.

The Republicans need to think beyond the pay and benefits of existing government employees to the notion that there should be fewer government employees because departments and programs should be shut down.

The GOPe that’s in charge of Congress now has the notion of better managed big government, but not the notion of smaller government doing less.


42 posted on 11/14/2014 9:17:16 PM PST by Nextrush (OBAMACARE IS A BAILOUT FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY)
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To: MV=PY

I have heard this before. ‘It is not a pension it is deferred compensation’ how can ‘deferred compensation’ pay more than the average yearly income of a worker?


43 posted on 11/14/2014 9:30:38 PM PST by Jim from C-Town (The government is rarely benevolent, often malevolent and never benign!)
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To: JoeFromSidney
Franklin Delano Roosevelt was right. Public employees should not be unionized.
44 posted on 11/14/2014 9:33:07 PM PST by itsahoot (Voting for a Progressive RINO is the same as voting for any other Tyrant.)
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To: mdittmar
It’s important to note that a pension is delayed payment for work already done, a condition for taking a job. It’s the employee’s money withheld and invested by the employer to be paid at the employee’s retirement when he/she can no longer work. If the employer cuts the employee’s pension, that means the employer has either embezzled or misspent the employee’s money. The employer is engaging in theft. The same is true for health care.

Why should public employees be exempt from what Obama, via Gruber, is calmly doing to the entire private sector?
In this instance the taxpayer gets screwed twice. They get to foot the bill as both the employer and as the Payer of the "insurance" premiums for the public employee health care premiums (inflated by the new "tax" on the entity providing the "insurance." Unless the public employees' insurance is exempt from the new rules and new 40% tax.

Who are these clown trying to fool?
The jig is up, guys!

45 posted on 11/14/2014 9:58:30 PM PST by publius911 (Formerly Publius6961)
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To: Tzimisce

Or, public servants living like the public???


46 posted on 11/14/2014 10:22:30 PM PST by JennysCool (My hypocrisy goes only so far)
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To: VRWCarea51
I wonder if Mr. Johnson worked behind the scenes....

Actually, he raised a lawsuit over it. Unfortunately, a judge tossed it out.

47 posted on 11/14/2014 10:36:17 PM PST by Mygirlsmom (Congrats to Gov. Walker on his Three-peat! Love my Gov!!!)
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To: JoeFromSidney

>> This isn’t collective bargaining, it’s collusion

The process is a form of extortion given the taxpayer doesn’t have any practical options.


48 posted on 11/15/2014 12:19:55 AM PST by Gene Eric (Don't be a statist!)
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To: mdittmar

“It’s important to note that a pension is delayed payment for work already done, a condition for taking a job.”

Um, what?


49 posted on 11/15/2014 12:45:23 AM PST by headstamp 2
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To: entropy12

You’re such a liar!


50 posted on 11/15/2014 3:54:11 AM PST by Alissa
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To: ealgeone
. About time federal employees feel the heat like everyone else.

Members of the military are federal employees too. Should they feel the heat?

51 posted on 11/15/2014 4:21:20 AM PST by DoodleDawg
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To: Alissa
You’re such a liar!

He's not that far off.

52 posted on 11/15/2014 4:24:57 AM PST by DoodleDawg
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To: itsahoot

ding ding ding ! Even the Great Socialist knew it was wrong.

https://www.google.com/search?q=federal+employee+compensation+private+sector+employee+compensation&safe=off&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=ZVVnVKWTK8GBsQSbhoGQBw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAg

Just look at the charts - the excess largesse given to the one truly protected class, federal govt. workers, is staggering. How these govt. workers expect the rest of the working public to feel sorry for them is a manifestation of their hubris.


53 posted on 11/15/2014 5:35:34 AM PST by major-pelham
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To: mdittmar

At root, unions were just assemblies of people advocating for their common interest. Unions became official organizations with legal status, protective legislation, and seats in the halls of power.

The first, assemblies of people advocating for a common cause, is a natural right of any group, so long as they are peaceable.

Senator Jeff Sessions has strongly advocated for middle class workers in his efforts to prevent illegal immigrants from taking American jobs, and especially during a time of historically low numbers in the work force.

If government workers peaceably assemble and petition their government for better pay, then I see nothing wrong with it. If they manipulate their positions in the halls of power to feather their own nests, then such a lack of concern for the nation should be rejected.


54 posted on 11/15/2014 5:47:28 AM PST by xzins ( Retired Army Chaplain and Proud of It! Those who truly support our troops pray for victory!)
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To: mdittmar
Meanwhile, Johnson supports massive tax giveaways for corporations and blocked a bill that would end tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas

This is the biggest lie repeated incessantly by democrats, yet not one single alleged tax break is ever mentioned. That's because there are no tax breaks for allegedly "sending jobs overseas". When will someone in the media confront these liars and ask one of these liars for specifics.

55 posted on 11/15/2014 6:31:09 AM PST by Go Gordon (Barack McGreevey Obama)
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To: mdittmar; GeronL
Well, AFGE managed to hit all the democrat talking points in this one article.

Walmart,tax giveaways for corporations,fairness, justice, equality, opportunity, and prosperity,slaves,government shutdown,veterans,Violence Against Women,gay and transgender workers,healthcare law.

His masters didn't libsplain how the Koch Brothers were behind it all.

56 posted on 11/15/2014 7:28:33 AM PST by a fool in paradise (Shickl-Gruber's Big Lie gave us Hussein's Un-Affordable Care act (HUAC).)
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To: mdittmar

“...Without a union, employees are basically slaves to their employer...”

That’s better than US being THEIR slaves to keep them fat and covered for life.

Not one of us, out here in the private sector, is immune to the laws of the marketplace, job performance, and/or the vagaries of working life. None of us are immune to being fired or layoffs.

They shouldn’t be either.


57 posted on 11/15/2014 8:00:02 AM PST by NFHale (The Second Amendment - By Any Means Necessary.)
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To: a fool in paradise

lol


58 posted on 11/15/2014 8:23:36 AM PST by GeronL (Vote for Conservatives not for Republicans)
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To: mdittmar

The propaganda starts.


59 posted on 11/15/2014 8:23:43 AM PST by RetiredArmy (MARANATHA, MARANATHA, Come quickly LORD Jesus!!! Father send thy Son!! Its Time!)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; cardinal4; ColdOne; ...
...has been outspoken about his plans to cut federal employees’ pay and pensions. Besides his previous proposal, Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin ...federal employees’ pay, health insurance, pensions, and the right to join a union. “I think it’s unrealistic for public-service employees to believe they are immune from modifications to their pay and benefit packages,” said Sen. Johnson, who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2010.

60 posted on 11/15/2014 8:25:24 AM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/_______________________Celebrate the Polls, Ignore the Trolls)
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