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Why Doesn’t He Just Freeze Federal Workers’ Salaries?

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I have lost count of the number of friends and acquaintances who work in the private sector who have told metheir employer has either cut their pay or frozen their salaries to avoid laying off (them and/or)  their co-workers.

And now, the President, is asking “federal workers to sacrifice” by cutting their pay increase by 0.4 percent:

Citing the current economic recession — and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks eight years ago — President Obama says he will use emergency powers to cut the programmed across-the-board January increase in federal employees’ pay from 2.4 percent to 2.0 percent, according to a letter he sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Monday.

It seems that Glenn Reynolds’ friends recount similar experiences to those of mine as he, who tipped me off to this story, opines:

Given that lots of people in the private sector — and even in state and municipal goverments — are facing no raise at all, or actual pay cuts, I don’t think this will impress many folks out there.

I agree.

The president would really show he wants to get a handle on the growth of the size of the federal government if he froze the salaries of federal workers.  Public employee unions might grouse, but the American people would cheer.

FROM THE COMMENTS:  SoCalRobert links an indispensable post on the rapid increase in federal workers’ salaries on the blog of the Cato Institute.  Read it and try not to lose your cool.  Seems we could almost erase the federal deficit just by bringing salaries of federal workers in line with those of their counterparts in the private sector.

Comments

  3. My late father was a big cheese at his union and when I registered Republican, we had an awkward string of sit-downs. In one, he assured me of two things:

      a.) The pension schemes are already unsustainable by the mid 80’s.
      b.) He would probably not live to see the whole thing crash and burn.

    As always, Dad was right on both counts.

    If you really want to know what we are up against, please take five minutes and read Brill’s latest in the New Yorker. It’s an exceedingly fair piece on those famous gold-brick teachers in NYC who get paid to do Sudoko puzzles.

    Best wishes,
    -MFS

  4. In addition to pay, fed, state, and local gov workers have outrageous 24K gold pension plans that are already bankrupting some cities. And pension amts are typically tied to final pay rates. Another reason to freeze most govt workers’ pay.

  5. Wow President Obama is such a wild and crazy guy. Such dynamic leadership! Stunning news about “suggesting” federal salaries be slashed by .04%. This is probably just a way to deflect attention from his cooperation in the release of the Lybian bomber.

  7. Not only was there never any question of a cut-back in Federal jobs, over 68,000 new ones have been added since the Immaculation (01/21/09). The fact that Federal wages have not been frozen is an outrage–the strangle-hold the unions have on this administration is absolutely appaling. Private-sector employees are losing their jobs/hours/wages in droves while government workers continue with starting salaries of $25.00+ per hour and gold-plated pension plans, with no fear of a looming cut or loss. Absolutely incredible….point-04 freaking percent!

  8. I have an idea….OBAMA AND CONGRESS SHOULD PROMISE TO PUT ALL FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ON THE GOVERNMENT OPTION…sorry to shout.

    If they are so confident that the gov. option will deliver savings and BETTER healthcare then the employees should be thrilled!

    Thoughts?

    JebnTex

  10. OT: Today marks the anniversary of the beginning of WWII in Poland. The U.S. was set to snub the event (infuriating Polish officials, staunch American allies) until a last-minute selection of former Defense Secretary Perry (Clinton administration). This apparently isn’t going down well in Europe. The State Department isn’t commenting.

  13. Not only are the private sector employees (those who still have jobs) not getting pay increases, those who receive Social Security are also not seeing cost of living increases.
    So if the administration uses COLA as an excuse for the increase for public employees, it risks angering a lot of seniors.

  14. Most private sector workers I know (who still have jobs) received no salary increases in 2009.

    TGCpartner just had his salary cut a few months ago. His company just now signed an agreement with the Teamsters where they won’t fund retirement accounts for 2 years.

  16. #13: Excellent point. I smell a campaign issue… If the GOP were smart they’d propose that Congress forgo its own COLA. The President should not only propose freezing Fed workers’ salaries, but either forgo his own COLA and/or voluntarily give some of his salary back during this “crisis”. Seems like a smart political move to me. After all, we’re being called upon to make “sacrifices” and “tighten our belts”. Lead by example, Mr. President.

  17. I take issue with some of these comments. Not all federal workers are raking in big dough like everyone on here assumes. And sorry but they don’t start out making $25 + an hour. I started out of college making about $13 an hour for the federal government in 2005. Nor are the pensions any longer as gold plated as you all say. In the mid 1980’s federal employees switched over from civil service retirement system to the one used now called FERS. Under FERS federal employees now pay fica taxes just like everyone else and are eligible for social security and in exchange the pensions are about half what they used to be. And to say that if the president froze all federal salaries would make the American people cheer is kind of funny considering that the federal workforce IS made up of American people. There is a perception out there that every person working for the federal government is a fat overpaid beurocrat. The fact is the federal workforce consists mostly of the little guys doing the day to day work of the government who are earning a living, paying taxes, and trying to make house and car payments just like everyone else. This is not the same thing as congress or the senate voting for pay raises for themselves.