AFGE Applauds White House's 5.2% Pay Raise for Feds But Seeks 8.7%

[Omaha Steve]

https://www.afge.org/article/afge-applauds-white-houses-52-pay-raise-for-feds-but-seeks-87/

March 13, 2023
Categories: Pay, The Insider

AFGE commends President Biden for proposing a 5.2% pay increase for federal workers next year but insists more needs to be done to keep up with inflation and address the double-digit pay gap between public and private sectors.

“AFGE applauds President Biden’s reported inclusion of a proposed 5.2% pay adjustment for federal employees in his proposed 2024 budget. Not only would this be the largest increase since 1980, it would also be a significant step in the right direction for efforts to recruit and retain the next generation of federal workers,” said AFGE President Everett Kelley.

“While we applaud the President’s proposal, it is not enough. More must be done to make serious progress in closing the double-digit pay gap between federal employees and their private-sector counterparts. Congress should pass the FAIR Act’s 8.7% adjustment.”

The Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act has been updated and reintroduced by Congressman Gerry Connolly, D-Va., in the House and Senator Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, in the Senate.

Our government needs to fairly compensate federal government workers. These dedicated public servants care for our veterans, protect our borders, keep our food supply safe and our air and water clean. Despite this critical work, federal salaries remain 23% lower on average than those who do similarly skilled work in the private sector and state and local government.

“For more than a decade, this pay gap has caused high turnover and difficulty filling positions at some of our most important federal agencies. Recent inflation has only made that problem worse,” Kelley added. “Better pay for federal employees will help attract more workers to a career in public service, making government services more efficient for all Americans.”