GovernmentExecutive.com

A proposal by the Bush administration to hold the civilian pay raise at 2.5 percent and provide no locality pay increase in 2005 drew ire from the two largest federal employee unions on Thursday.

Last week, Congress approved the fiscal 2005 omnibus bill, which includes a 3.5 percent average pay raise for civil service workers. A bloc of lawmakers, including House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and House Government Reform Committee Chairman Tom Davis, R-Va., fought for the larger pay raise after the Bush administration included a 1.5 percent civilian pay raise in its fiscal 2005 budget proposal released in February.

On Monday, however, the Bush administration sent an alternative pay plan to congressional leaders, proposing to give civil service workers a 2.5 percent pay raise next year while holding locality pay at 2004 levels. The president cited the expenses of the war on terrorism as a reason for his frugality with civilian raises.

Union officials blasted the president's alternate plan on Thursday, calling it a sign of the "low value he attaches to the efforts and contributions of federal workers."

"This kind of action has an inevitable adverse impact on federal employee morale," said NTEU President Colleen Kelley, calling it "an unnecessary and unwise step backward in recruitment and retention efforts by federal agencies."

Linda Bennett, a lobbyist with the American Federation of Government Employees, expressed frustration with the plan.

"We are disappointed that the president proposed no locality pay raises for federal workers who work day and night to protect our borders and to strengthen our nation's general welfare and defense," Bennett said. "The president needs to listen to Congress. They have said loud and clear to provide federal employees with a 3.5 percent pay increase."

The omnibus bill's status is unclear as House members want to remove a provision that would have expanded congressional access to individual tax returns at the Internal Revenue Service. If the spending bill is not enacted, the alternative plan will take effect in January, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

COMMENTS

• I propose that the pay raises of the President, Congress,and Senate be tied directly to the Federal Civilian pay raises. We would never have to worry about being treated fairly again, since they make sure they get their own exorbitant pay raises before anyone else does. What could be more fair than to force our representatives to treat us the same as they treat themselves. That way they would have to follow the real golden rule instead of the one where he with all the gold makes all the rules. Bush and his administration have proven once again that they have no idea what they are doing or what is going on in the work force. They have shown their work force that they are not appreciated in a year where we have had to put up with hiring freezes and budget freezes, forcing us to do the job of three people in some places. What a way to the boost the morale of an already stressed work force! It's about time someone in the administration decided to hire people who actually have significant experience in the field. GovExec.com reader Posted January 3, 2005 11:45 AM
• Federal workers out of conus (Alaska, Hawaii, Guam, etc.) fund the locality pay raise every year out of a portion of their pay raise just like the rest of the country (ie 3.5 % pay raise, 2.5% we all get, 1% goes to locality pay raise). This is not fair since we must fund it but never receive any of it back. So what if locality pay is not paid out this year? We have been funding it since the program started but not seen a single dime in return. I hope the program dies or this error is corrected. To fund annual locality pay raises with out of conus federal workers $$$ who never see the money return is a crime. Wonder how our union feels?? The in conus workers should give a portion of their pay raises to out conus workers since we have been doing it for them year after year. The senators and congressmen in Alaska and Hawaii must have been sleeping when this passed and have yet to take any action to correct this mess. They claim to need total agreement of every out of conus federal worker to take action. I am sure it will never be corrected unless more people make noise. The biggest gouge is the hit we in reduced retirement annuity. We are directly supplementing the retirement pay of federal workers receiving locality pay by sacrificing a portion of our annual pay raises. Sure we get COLA now, but during retirement it is gone. Locality pay on the other hand is used to calculate retirement annuity pay. Legislation for this was very cleverly written, they probably are still laughing all the way to the bank. No sympathy here if locality pay is not paid out this year. GovExec.com reader Posted December 9, 2004 1:11 PM
• Well, if anything causes people to join the union in droves, this should do it. At a minimum, this should cause a unification of federal civilian employee spirit and the President would be the recipient of the effects of this federal civilian employee outrage. We already make 20-25% less than the civilian sector and, for the most part, there are no complaints. It's what we do as a way of supporting our country. But to hold the pay increas to 2.5% and eliminate the locality pay increase (even for one year, which, by the way, undoubtedly would lead to another year and another year), while everything around us goes up in cost, is grossly unfair to us and does show a lack of respect for what we do. I did not see anything in this article (maybe I missed it) that indicates that the President's people, Congress, and the Senators are going to incur the same restrictions. You want to save money to pay for the war???? Stop the pork barrel payments. Stop funding grants that are absolutely ludicrous. Stop sending money to countries that could not care less whether we live or die. Stop pouring money into countries who already enjoy a rich lifetstyle. There are dozens of ways to cut costs that do not involve taking it from the federal civilian workforce. We are not the high end of the hog! GovExec.com reader Posted December 6, 2004 10:17 AM