If you’re a government worker and you’re worried about the effect that “fiscal cliff” negotiations will have on you financially, don’t worry – you’re covered.
The Federal-Postal Coalition, which represents more than two dozen federal employee unions, asked Congress to leave them out of any cuts associated with the “fiscal cliff”, writing Congress:
“Federal and postal employees and their families are hardworking, middle-class Americans who are struggling during these tough times just like other Americans. No other group has been asked to financially contribute the way they have, and it is time our nation’s leaders found other ways to reduce the deficit than continually taking from those who have dedicated their lives to public service.”
The coalition asserts that federal employees have funded $60 billion in budget savings in 2011 and 2012 because their salaries have been frozen and the extension of their pay freeze through March 2013 will save the government an additional $28 billion.
Of course, most of them were guaranteed a job – those in the private sector had no such guarantee.
Federal workers also contributed $15 billion toward the budget in 2011 when new employees were forced to pay 2.3% more for the contribution rate toward retirement pensions.
Top Democratic lawmakers told Government Executive last week that they want to keep the federal employees happy and exclude them from a potential debt deal. Shockingly, after Barack Obama won reelection, top federal unions boasted they were confident their members would not suffer – and they’d get a pay raise.
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