AFGE Applauds Obama Action Giving Federal Employees 2.1% Pay Raise in January

Move recognizes sacrifice of federal workers, maintains tradition of pay raise parity between military and civilians

News provided by

American Federation of Government Employees

Dec 09, 2016, 10:59 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 9, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees, the nation's largest federal employee union, applauds President Obama's decision to provide federal workers with a 2.1% pay raise in January.

The American Federation of Government Employees, the nation's largest federal employee union, applauds President Obama's decision to provide federal workers with a 2.1% pay raise in January. The increase ensures pay raise parity between the military and civil service -- something AFGE has been advocating for months. The increase provides a much-needed boost in pay for federal workers, who have sacrificed more than $182 billion in wages and benefits since 2010 to help bring the country out of the Great Recession.

"Federal employees certainly deserve this modest boost in their pay, following years of pay freezes and miniscule increases that have left them worse off today than they were at the start of the decade," AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said. "This pay adjustment will help employees pay their bills, reduce their debts, and cover the everyday costs facing working-class Americans."

No other group has sacrificed more than federal employees to help bring the country out of the Great Recession. Since 2010, federal employees have been forced to give up more than $182 billion in wages and benefits – which amounts to a $91,000 pay cut per employee. Federal employees earn 6.5 percent less today than they did at the start of the decade when adjusted for inflation.

"AFGE has been fighting for federal workers to be made whole after years of financial sacrifice, and this action is a step in the right direction," Cox said. "I'm especially thankful for the lawmakers who urged President Obama to take this action and for our activists who kept the pressure on them."

The Dec. 7 letter to Obama was signed by House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Sens. Barbara Mikulski and Ben Cardin of Maryland, Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine of Virginia, and Senator-elect Chris Van Hollen of Maryland. AFGE also thanks Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia for introducing legislation earlier this year supporting AFGE's push for a 5.3% catch-up pay adjustment.

President Obama's alternative pay plan, submitted to Congress on Dec. 8, also maintains the longstanding tradition of pay parity between the civil service and military. Congress approved a 2.1 percent pay raise for service members in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, and AFGE has been fighting since August for civilian workers to get the same increase.

President Cox said AFGE already is working with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to introduce legislation in the next Congress that would provide employees with an even larger increase in 2018.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees