GovernmentExecutive.com

Return to Article: Survey: Civilian employees' pay growth outpaces that of contractors

• 12127
  

  Approximately ten years (or more) ago, the federal government agreed to, and made it law, to increase the GS-scale federal employee wages a certain percentage each year for ten years until they met comparable industry standards of pay. We were on average 13-20% below what the private sector was given for comparable positions. Each year this agreement has been broken and much time and money is spent in congress determining what we can get. So looking at percentages given us each year is not a true reflection on what we have been paid over the years in comparison to the private sector. We also pay higher rates for health insurance than any other government agency and do not get vision or dental included except for 1st exams. Contractors have always overcharged the government because they could. We have seen this countless times over the years including the famous $500 hammer. We have seen contracting granted to 'minority' business and then that salesman calls on us, gets a list of what we need, then gets on the phone and orders the supplies from a 'regular' supplier and then marks it up again and charges us. So much for progress.

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 12, 2005 11:02 AM
• 12126
  

  As a government employee for 37 years now, I wish to comment on the subject story.

  1. Government wages are set by OPM, adjusted by Congress, and revised by the president.
  2. Contractor employee wages are set by market pressures (ie competition) and adjusted by their management, and monitored by various unions.
  

  Please note that Government wages (GS and WG) have not kept up with inflation. I've recorded the Official CPI and my wages for the last 37 years, and the cumulative effect of my wages lagging CPI is 12% which accumulates to $311,021, that I should have been paid, had my salary even kept up with inflation.

  Jim Hochstein

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 12, 2005 10:47 AM
• 12111
  

  I know contractors who don't report everything they make too. It makes me sick when I see some of them claim "earned income credit" while driving around in new vehicles, taking nice vacations and etc.

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 11, 2005 8:24 PM
• 12109
  

  This ignores the fact that most contractor employees are being massively overpaid for doing the same work as lower-paid govies. I have people where I am doing GS-12 work for a third over what a GS-12 gets a year and you have to show them how to do everything on top of that. This does not even count the money that is going to the contractors themselves. This is nothing but a big racket and time waster when people like me have to teach them how to do the job.

  stamp monkey Posted September 11, 2005 6:34 PM
• 12103
  

  Figures don't lie but liars can figure.

  Don't believe a minute of this one.

  rds Posted September 10, 2005 11:14 AM
• 12098
  

  Figures don't lie, but liars figure. I've worked in DoD contracting for 15 years and I've never seen the average government employee make more than the average contractor employee. And, when it comes to being overseas, contractors get $70,000 tax free, while government employees pay tax on every single cent. The price gouging for operations like Enduring and Iraqi Freedom is an obscenity. $130,000 a year to answer phones at a help desk? You could get a Spec 4 to do that for a third of that, at least. As a contract specialist, I could make, easily, $200,000 or more as a contractor in Iraq. Halliburton alone has screwed the taxpayers out of billions. As Colonel Potter of the 4077 used to say "Buffalo Bagels!"

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 9, 2005 8:25 PM
• 12095
  

  You've got to be a bit suspicious when statistics are provided by a corporate lobbyist. The real question is not how much contract workers make, but rather how much their companies charge the government. Many of these companies hire lower skilled workers so they can pay them less, yet still charge the government full price. One company charges us for a "network engineer", but the guy is actually a former rotor rooter man given a week of computer training.

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 9, 2005 5:18 PM
• 12093
  

  The percentage may be higher, but look at the starting point. The fact that it was a survey of DC people also makes a difference, because the highest-paid feds in the nation are there, including those who have some influence over their own raises.

  As to "executives", who cares?

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 9, 2005 3:51 PM
• 12076
  

  awwwww The poor little contractors. They didn't get more money than federal employees for the last couple of years. The fact that they started with more doesn't count, they didn't get more when it was time for raises.

  GovExec.com reader Posted September 9, 2005 10:13 AM
• 12075
  

  "...its pay system's recognition that everyone deserves a decent standard of living, and everyone deserves a fair share..." "It moves money out of the paychecks of the rank-and-file employees who actually do the government's work, and hands it over to the well-connected profiteers in executive suites."

  How True.
  I've worked on both sides (Contractor then Govt), and can certainly attest to that. I only received 1/3 of what the Contractor charged the Gov't. Couldn't even afford rent on that salary! And for 6 years of College! But now NSPS will undermine the fairness aspect. Back to 1/3 pay again! If that's the case, don't waste money on tuition! Use it to buy Real Estate instead.

  Wait till NSPS! Posted September 9, 2005 9:41 AM
• 12070
  

  Looking at these statistics it seems as if the contractor scam being run on the Federal Government is designed to put more money in the pockets of the top guys and less in the pockets of the little guys. Some things never change when it comes to the stereotypical view of Republican goals or as my grandma used to say, "A leopard can never change its spots."

  Bill Posted September 9, 2005 7:19 AM