Federal Workers Are Underpaid Compared To Their Private Sector Counterparts

[Lakhota]

Federal Workers Are Underpaid Compared To Their Private Sector Counterparts, Despite GOP’s Assertions

By Travis Waldron

To hear Republican presidential primary candidates tell it, the federal workforce under President Obama has experienced ballooning job growth and huge wage increases. Such claims are a staple of Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) stump speeches, and for months, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has promised to bring the rest of the workers’ pay into line with comparable employees in the private sector.

Speaking at the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity annual summit Friday, Romney repeated this pledge, saying the pay gap between public and private workers “must be corrected.” “Public servants shouldn’t get a better deal than the taxpayers they work for,” Romney added.

But if Romney truly wants to match the pay of public employees to that of private workers, he would have to give the federal workers a raise, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And such a raise wouldn’t be a small one — according to the report, federal workers are underpaid compared to their private sector counterparts by an average of 26.3 percent, and that gap is widening, the Washington Post reports:

More: Federal Workers Are Underpaid Compared To Their Private Sector Counterparts, Despite GOP's Assertions | ThinkProgress

 

[get_involved]

 

[Lakhota]

What is the "source" of your chart? The OP references the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Washington Post.

 

[Lakhota]

Federal pay gap widens, report says - The Washington Post

 

[Cammmpbell]

You gotta' love it. The Republican party used to stand for small government, balanced budgets and individual rights. George W. Bush expanded the size of our federal government by 15%, doubled the national debt and listened to our phone calls for seven years.

 

[Lakhota]

Bad Business: Billions of Taxpayer Dollars Wasted on Hiring Contractors

 

[idb]

Won't someone please tell me what to believe?

 

[Lakhota]

Won't someone please tell me what to believe?

Probably not, but I'd put my money on the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

 

[westwall]

Won't someone please tell me what to believe?

Probably not, but I'd put my money on the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I wouldn't. The GAO yes, all other government organisations are suspect.

 

[Lakhota]

Won't someone please tell me what to believe?

Probably not, but I'd put my money on the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I wouldn't. The GAO yes, all other government organisations are suspect.

Righties only believe government reports when they support their political agendas. Apparently BLS does not...

 

[MeBelle]

Federal Workers Are Underpaid Compared To Their Private Sector Counterparts, Despite GOP’s Assertions

By Travis Waldron

To hear Republican presidential primary candidates tell it, the federal workforce under President Obama has experienced ballooning job growth and huge wage increases. Such claims are a staple of Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) stump speeches, and for months, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has promised to bring the rest of the workers’ pay into line with comparable employees in the private sector.

Speaking at the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity annual summit Friday, Romney repeated this pledge, saying the pay gap between public and private workers “must be corrected.” “Public servants shouldn’t get a better deal than the taxpayers they work for,” Romney added.

But if Romney truly wants to match the pay of public employees to that of private workers, he would have to give the federal workers a raise, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And such a raise wouldn’t be a small one — according to the report, federal workers are underpaid compared to their private sector counterparts by an average of 26.3 percent, and that gap is widening, the Washington Post reports:

More: Federal Workers Are Underpaid Compared To Their Private Sector Counterparts, Despite GOP's Assertions | ThinkProgress

Federal pay gap widens, report says - The Washington Post

You neglected the benefits portion, as did your links.
In MANY instances benefits can ADD 50% or more to a public sector 'pay'.

Why in the heck should us lowly tax payers contribute forever, something which we don't receive ourselves?

 

[editec]

In semiskilled jobs I beleive that the FEDERAL workers (which includes the military, remember) are handsomely paid in comparison to public sector equivalent posts.

At the upper levels of professional postings I suspect the FED professionals underpaid compared to their public sector equivalents.

 

[DaGoose]

Won't someone please tell me what to believe?

Probably not, but I'd put my money on the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

I use the Bureau of Labor Statistics quite a bit in my job as a Safety professional. Their statistics are detailed, accurate and entirely non-partisan.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and disseminates essential statistical data to the American public, the U.S. Congress, other Federal agencies, State and local governments, business, and labor representatives. The BLS also serves as a statistical resource to the Department of Labor.

To avoid the appearance of partiality, the dates of major data releases are scheduled more than a year in advance, in coordination with the Office of Management and Budget.

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

 

[bucs90]

Why, we should give all the gov't employees a RAISE!!! Right? Because they are doing such a wonderful job!!

 

[Cammmpbell]

Why, we should give all the gov't employees a RAISE!!! Right? Because they are doing such a wonderful job!!

Government workers here around me are doing a magnificent job. It's all those lazy pricks in the other 49 states who are constantly screwing things up. Strange...same thing with politicians.

 

[rightwinger]

What is the "source" of your chart? The OP references the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Washington Post.

Notice the chart doesn't compare comparable salaries only average salaries. Since the Federal Government has contracted out all lower paying jobs, the average salary appears much higher

 

[Harry Dresden]

maybe all you folks not happy with your pay or benefits should get a govt job....

 

[rightwinger]

Federal Workers Are Underpaid Compared To Their Private Sector Counterparts, Despite GOP’s Assertions

By Travis Waldron

To hear Republican presidential primary candidates tell it, the federal workforce under President Obama has experienced ballooning job growth and huge wage increases. Such claims are a staple of Rep. Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) stump speeches, and for months, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has promised to bring the rest of the workers’ pay into line with comparable employees in the private sector.

Speaking at the Koch brothers-backed Americans for Prosperity annual summit Friday, Romney repeated this pledge, saying the pay gap between public and private workers “must be corrected.” “Public servants shouldn’t get a better deal than the taxpayers they work for,” Romney added.

But if Romney truly wants to match the pay of public employees to that of private workers, he would have to give the federal workers a raise, according to a new report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And such a raise wouldn’t be a small one — according to the report, federal workers are underpaid compared to their private sector counterparts by an average of 26.3 percent, and that gap is widening, the Washington Post reports:

More: Federal Workers Are Underpaid Compared To Their Private Sector Counterparts, Despite GOP's Assertions | ThinkProgress

Federal pay gap widens, report says - The Washington Post

You neglected the benefits portion, as did your links.
In MANY instances benefits can ADD 50% or more to a public sector 'pay'.

Why in the heck should us lowly tax payers contribute forever, something which we don't receive ourselves?

What wonderful benefits do you imagine Federal workers get? They pay over $2 k per year for health insurance, pay the same Social Security and Medicare and have a 401k type retirement plan

How do you reach 50%. ???

 

[MeBelle]

You neglected the benefits portion, as did your links.
In MANY instances benefits can ADD 50% or more to a public sector 'pay'.

Why in the heck should us lowly tax payers contribute forever, something which we don't receive ourselves?

What wonderful benefits do you imagine Federal workers get? They pay over $2 k per year for health insurance, pay the same Social Security and Medicare and have a 401k type retirement plan

How do you reach 50%. ???

Personal experience.

My response stated MANY. Your $2k per year for HI are pre-tax dollars. SS and Medicare were not/are not part of SALARY, which was what the OP had linked too.
Also, there are many layers of Fed employees. Not each layer has a defined benefit plan.
Just take a look at congressional pay/benefits and see what you find.
MANY are given a nice retirement salary, for few years on the job, at the expense of the taxpayer.

 

[Ragnar]

Federal Workers Are Underpaid Compared To Their Private Sector Counterparts

Best argument yet for making all workers into private sector workers.