AFGE Urges Passage of Senate-approved Pay Adjustment for America's Workforce
WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The largest union representing federal government workers is urging Congress to pass a 1.9 percent pay adjustment for more than 2 million federal employees next year, despite President Trump's plan to freeze their wages.
The Senate on Aug. 1 approved a 1.9 percent pay raise for federal employees in January as part of a fiscal 2019 spending bill. Absent action from Congress, federal workers would be denied any pay adjustment in January under an alternative pay plan President Trump submitted to Congress today.
American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. issued the following response:
"I urge Congress to follow the Senate's lead and provide federal employees with a modest pay adjustment in January, which would help prevent workers from falling further behind next year and help federal agencies recruit and retain the high-caliber workforce that the public expects and deserves. Federal employees deserve the full measure of pay comparability provided by the law, and a 1.9 percent increase is the minimum that Congress should consider.
"President Trump's plan to freeze wages for these patriotic workers next year ignores the fact that they are worse off today financially than they were at the start of the decade. Federal employees have had their pay and benefits cut by over $200 billion since 2011, and they are earning nearly 5 percent less today than they did at the start of the decade.
"Federal workers truly are America's workforce ? more than 2 million dedicated and committed federal workers who care for our veterans, support our military, protect our environment, and help working families make ends meet. More than one-third are veterans themselves, while many more work to support spouses or children who are actively serving."
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 700,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.
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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees
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