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Obama to freeze federal wages for 2 year

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JS80 said:
RIFs FTW. I love shutting down cost centers that generate no value!!
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As long as the execs running those cost centers are canned too, but unfortunately, bad execs seem to be like cockroaches -- they don't die, they just turn up in another dark corner of the company after a "realignment."
 
PokerGuy said:
Private sector employees have had the same challenges (in fact, much more so, federal employees haven't been getting hammered in terms of health care benefits reductions like everyone else)
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Oh I agree on that but we are paid less (salary-wise) compared to the private sector too (By this, I'm only referring to the IT sector since that's what I work in and what I'm familiar with). Even our contractors have a higher salary than we do.
 
senseamp said:
They'll figure out some way to bash him for it. They'll say to federal employees, vote for us because Obama is freezing your wages, never mind that we are the ones who called for it.
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John Boehner called for this a number of weeks ago. But by all means, keep digging the hole deeper.
 
boomerang said:
John Boehner called for this a number of weeks ago. But by all means, keep digging the hole deeper.
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GOP also called for cuts in Medicare, then bashed Obama for cutting it. Intellectual consistency is not considered a virtue in today's GOP, bashing Obama is.
 
senseamp said:
They'll figure out some way to bash him for it. They'll say to federal employees, vote for us because Obama is freezing your wages, never mind that we are the ones who called for it.
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Well frankly, I don't care if they do bash him. This had to be done and should only be the first step. They need to cut positions as well.
 
Lame. I started out making 25% less than my classmates coming out of grad school who went to work in the private industry and now my pay gets frozen. I understand the need to cut the fat but rather than make a blanket pay freeze why not look at who is overpaid and who is underpaid in public service compared to private sector employees.
 
dabuddha said:
Oh I agree on that but we are paid less (salary-wise) compared to the private sector too (By this, I'm only referring to the IT sector since that's what I work in and what I'm familiar with). Even our contractors have a higher salary than we do.
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Care to say what you do in IT and how much you make? I'm in IT too like to hear what you make.
 
Elfear said:
Lame. I started out making 25% less than my classmates coming out of grad school who went to work in the private industry and now my pay gets frozen. I understand the need to cut the fat but rather than make a blanket pay freeze why not look at who is overpaid and who is underpaid in public service compared to private sector employees.
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You can always go to the private sector.
 
So a 0% increase vs. a 1.something% increase?

This is me, not really giving a shit. The only reason this is happening is that both sides know the unwashed masses will applaud it.
 
senseamp said:
He's going to be attacked for it by the same Republicans calling for it.
It's how GOP operates.
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Probably, but they'll take the "it doesn't go nearly far enough" tactic.

Unfortunately for federal employees, the Republicans seem to have most of the public on their side on this issue.

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1110/112210nj6.htm

Earlier surveys have pointed to public opinion that government workers earn more than their private sector counterparts. 😵
 
senseamp said:
You don't care if GOP bashes him for doing something that "had to be done?"
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This doesn't look like bashing to me and instead, looks exactly like what I said they'd say:

"It's a great start. I'll applaud when he [Obama] does the right thing, and he did in this case," said Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Utah Republican and the presumptive chairman of the House subcommittee on federal workers. "I'd like to see things go further. Personally, I would like to see the overall payroll cut by 10%."
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What difference does it make if I "care" if the GOP bashes him? I'm not a Republican. If they bash him for doing this, they're wrong. If they say (as the guy did above) that it is a good start but more action is needed, they're correct. MUCH more action is needed.
 
Elfear said:
Lame. I started out making 25% less than my classmates coming out of grad school who went to work in the private industry and now my pay gets frozen. I understand the need to cut the fat but rather than make a blanket pay freeze why not look at who is overpaid and who is underpaid in public service compared to private sector employees.
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Or get a job in the private sector.
 
if public sector pay is so bad, why stay? quit and get a private sector job and eventually, they'll have to increase the base salary after everyone quits.
 
Siddhartha said:
They want everyone to get fucked over.
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You know who's getting fucked over? It's the young and middle-aged people who will be paying their entire lives for the ballooning deficit and social programs. Social Security is just beginning to get hit hard by the baby boomers as they retire, and the lost tax revenue from this generation is not definitely helping matters either. Meanwhile most companies no longer offer pensions.

Higher taxes for all...not just the 'rich' as I'm sure that so many here would like to think...because the middle class is where the real money is at.

And at the end of the day there will be nothing much left over for you and your children. Less disposible income, no pension, and a 70+ year old retirement age qualification for Social Security...and that's if, by some miracle, it still exists when you retire....and if you're still alive.
 
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IndyColtsFan said:
In which case, they'd be correct.
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I agree that more needs to be done to some extent, but a 10% paycut? I'm not sure how a GS-5 in DC or some other urban area now living on ~$34k before taxes is going to adapt to losing $3400 a year.

Some will claim "well if they don't want the job they can always move or get a different one", but I think they should consider what kind of employee is going to replace the worker who just left the job. If they think government employees are incompetent or inefficient now, just wait until the new and even lower-salaried workers come in. Sometimes, you get what you pay for.
 
loki8481 said:
if public sector pay is so bad, why stay? quit and get a private sector job and eventually, they'll have to increase the base salary after everyone quits.
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Right now the higher level jobs pay less than the private sector while lower end jobs pay a little more on average.

Same thing will happen the last time republicans had a "fix" for Fed Gov workers; Source them out as contractors and save a pile of money. Problem is contractors charged more so in the end we had budgets ballooning because of 3rd party contractors. I know firsthand one area we are changing is trying to get many of the trained 3rd party people inside the Gov as it would save money.

What will happen a little with this is the best will leave and you will have a difficult time getting good people to replace them. Then we have to use contractors and end up costing money. It will not be a major thing at first but if jobs are cut, without changes in the system, and/or the freezes go longer than a couple years then it will hurt in the long run.

If the system, Fed Gov, is not changed the requirements for doing the work will still need to be meet.
 
loki8481 said:
if public sector pay is so bad, why stay? quit and get a private sector job and eventually, they'll have to increase the base salary after everyone quits.
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With 10% unemployment? Are you joking?

Salaries and jobs aren't really flexible in the real world. Workers are constrained by having to pay their bills (including health insurance because we have this dumbass system where it goes with your job), and employers are constrained by needing competent workers and having to train new employees.
 
loki8481 said:
if public sector pay is so bad, why stay? quit and get a private sector job and eventually, they'll have to increase the base salary after everyone quits.
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Each side has it's advantages and disadvantages. The biggest thing for me is the job security that comes with a federal job. Since I have 2 kids, I like not having to worry about whether I still have a job or not. Yes I understood that when I took my job, I'd be paid significantly less than my private sector counterparts. Just find how the govt thinks this is a good idea while they burn money left and right for retarded projects (pork barrel spending etc)
 
dabuddha said:
Oh I agree on that but we are paid less (salary-wise) compared to the private sector too (By this, I'm only referring to the IT sector since that's what I work in and what I'm familiar with). Even our contractors have a higher salary than we do.
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then work for the private sector or be a contractor?
nah, makes too much sense.
 
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