Obama's pay freeze for federal workers only limits raises

[ProSense]

Source: USA Today

Many federal workers would still get pay raises the next two years despite the limited salary freeze President Obama proposed this week for 2.2 million government employees.

The president's proposal, if approved by Congress, would stop across-the-board pay hikes set for January 2011 and January 2012.

But many federal workers will receive other pay hikes — longevity increases (called steps), promotions in grade, bonuses, overtime and other cash payments.

<...>

Step raises are largely automatic, based on longevity, but merit can hasten a step pay raise or even move a worker up multiple steps. Not every worker gets a step raise every year, but the raises average about 2% per year for workers as a group.



Read more: http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2010-12-01-fedpay01_ST_N.htm

[MannyGoldstein]

1. Thank you for pointing that out

I think that implementing this first recommendation of Simpson and Bowles, a temporary wage freeze on federal employees, is an important step in getting our country's books in order. "Fixing" our problems by raising taxes on the rich would be a mistake - Bush's tax cuts brought us much prosperity, they should continue. In any case, fighting hard to end them would upset the Republicans, and that's never a good idea.

[boppers]

2. I'm not sure if this schtick is better or worse over time...

We'll see in a few days, I guess?

[ProSense]

3. This isn't bad at all. n/t

[patrice]

7. You know, we'd be more likely to credit this routine if you could do the opposite pov as well.

[galileoreloaded]

14. Why am I scouring threads hoping to find your reply??

funny stuff man.

[we can do it]

4. Well There! That Makes It All Better Then.......NOT EVEN

i am getting sick of a man who thinks compromise means doing whatever the uncooperative other party wants.

[ProSense]

6. You have to be aware that

this is not what the GOP wants. They want to cut the federal workforce, even eliminate it.

[rury]

8. Yes the GOP hates the government

they would LOVE to eliminate the federal wokforce because a lot of middle and upper-class blacks work there.
They would prefer to have us doing janitorial work and taking care of their children.

[Iowa]

20. Yep...

And this is more damaging than it might appear on the surface. The newly elected shit-head Republican Governor of Iowa, Terry Branstad, is using Obama's behavior toward federal employees as an excuse to screw over state employees. Obama may as well just switch parties and be done with it.

http://qctimes.com/news/local/government-and-politics/c0a3e224-fd10-11df-81ba-001cc4c002e0.html

[howaboutme]

5. Why are things never as they seem ?

Always slack in the system such as Goldman Sachs and AIG get their raises even after they were not supposed to while they still owed us. The Clear Skies Initiative was about polluting. Voting modernization act was about hacking the vote. I have repressed sarcasm for politicians and government and media.

[defendandprotect]

19. Stop repressing it -- !!!

[Cant trust em]

9. The hills people choose to die on around here simply amaze me sometimes. nt

[CreekDog]

10. What did he get for this move?

Anything, anything at all?

And this is his opening position?

:wtf:

worst negotiator ever.

[ProSense]

11. He got what he wanted.

Do you know what he negotiated or his motive?

[CreekDog]

12. he doesn't always get what he wants

and if he does...then we're even more screwed than i thought.

[madrchsod]

13. so he made a statement about a wage freeze that...

really is`t a wage freeze. well my wife has`t had a pay raise in two years because our state is broke and i have`t got mine because the social security claims there is no inflation. funny my wifes`s insurance went up,our home insurance and utilities went up.

well at least some workers are at least keeping up with "inflation"

[SoapBox]

15. The title of this article is misleading...

because it makes it sound like the pay freeze is for your
average, everyday Federal government worker.

It is not...

It would only affect PRIVATE citizens that just work FOR the government.

I strongly doubt that the masses of America understand this.

[defendandprotect]

16. The salaries we need to LIMIT are the CEO/corporate/Board room salaries ....

These workers had nothing whatsoever to do with the corruption and crime which

has come close to creating a new depression in America and isn't over yet --

[Rosa Luxemburg]

17. exactly

if we can, we should!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

18. why are we attacking government workers?