I wonder how long this will last! Federal vs private sector pay

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Federal worker pay tops private sector

For a bunch of nonproductive employees to make bunches

more money than the average private sector employee, I

think this will not end good.

[Guest mosinon]

one of the things that needs to be seriously considered is phasing out pensions for federal employees. The private sector mostly uses 401k and such to avoid the long term liability. Getting rid of the pensions would make a huge difference in the long run.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Agree with that, but on to the bigger picture. The large number of federal

employees making the bigger bucks is something the private sector would

never allow when considering the productivity of the fed employee, not

all, but most. I think the private sector values the job, unlike the federal

govenment valuing the taking of the tax dollar while not regarding a job's

productivity.

Plus, valuing the supposed jobs "created or saved" by the stimulus money.

What was it, the neighborhood of spending a quarter million per job,

whether or not they could produce the results for anyone to see?

I imagine the pensions will eventually take care of themselves. They are

already busted to almost zero in value. We need to quit giving taxpayer

dollars to them.

[1gewehr]

The 2.15 million Federal employees are a powerful voting block in and of themselves. Add in all the voting family members of Federal employees and you have a huge voting block that will strongly resist any kind of cuts.

Nevertheless, it needs to happen. Of course, eliminating a couple of worthless federal agencies (cough, Department of Education, cough, Housing and Urban Development, cough cough) would sure help! ($86 billion with just those two!!)

[Guest HvyMtl]

Simple. Governments are not focused on profits. Businesses are. (In many cases, a little too focused...)

Governments have set budgets, based on tax incomes. Businesses rely on their "sales" (doesn't matter what type of business, you have to sell it for it to profit.)

Stock holders hold businesses accountable for profits. Tax payers do not hold government to its budget...

[Guest mosinon]

The 2.15 million Federal employees are a powerful voting block in and of themselves. Add in all the voting family members of Federal employees and you have a huge voting block that will strongly resist any kind of cuts.

Nevertheless, it needs to happen. Of course, eliminating a couple of worthless federal agencies (cough, Department of Education, cough, Housing and Urban Development, cough cough) would sure help! ($86 billion with just those two!!)

I'm too lazy too look it up but does the 2.15 million employees include the military? I imagine it is a powerful voting block and all but the military usually votes republican so if it includes the military it might balance out.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Simple. Governments are not focused on profits. Businesses are. (In many cases, a little too focused...)

Governments have set budgets, based on tax incomes. Businesses rely on their "sales" (doesn't matter what type of business, you have to sell it for it to profit.)

Stock holders hold businesses accountable for profits. Tax payers do not hold government to its budget...

That's something that needs to be focused on, from

now on. If ever, that's a good reason for a "throw the

bums out" attitude. Good point.

Governments only take power, especially when no one

is watching.

[Oh Shoot]

I'm too lazy too look it up but does the 2.15 million employees include the military?...

No.

And doesn't include USPS either, which is another 750,00 or so.

- OS

[strickj]

no doubt they're getting paid way too much....but who are they trying to compare here specifically?

Federal civil servants received average pay and benefits of $123,049 in 2009 while private workers made $61,051 in total compensation

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Average seems to be the key, strickj. The average federal employee is paid a lot more than his civilian

counterpart. I didn't read anything more into it. I do

question the motivation of the people who set the pay

for government employees. It's a bit excessive.

[Daniel]

My pay is not excessive. I have been in federal service since 2001 and a civilian employee since 2008. I do not make 1/4 of that. Further more I can safely say no one i nmy building makes that.

They need to rephrase average and change it to the top earners.

[Guest Lester Weevils]

Yup, dunno if that average includes USPS or the missus is getting the short end of the stick on those cushy salaries. Even the retirement bennies at USPS ain't great. If some civil servants (teachers whatever) get retirement near the level of their full-time salaries, then USPS is back near the caboose of the gravy train. On the far end of the pig trough.

[Guest KimberChick]

My pay is not excessive. I have been in federal service since 2001 and a civilian employee since 2008. I do not make 1/4 of that. Further more I can safely say no one i nmy building makes that.

They need to rephrase average and change it to the top earners.

It's got to be their top earners. I turned down a DOJ job offer about 4 years ago for the fed equivalent of my private sector job(at that time) on account of the pay. It was a good 4-5K less per year and at that time I couldn't afford to take that kind of hit for a few extra days off and slightly better insurance. It was no where near the so-called average with benefits included.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Maybe they should also correct those pay discrepancies and

pay according to merit, but that may never happen.

[Daniel]

General Schedule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That is our pay scale.

You have to be a GS15 step 9 before you make more than that average.

from your link

Public-employee unions say the compensation gap reflects the increasingly high level of skill and education required for most federal jobs and the government contracting out lower-paid jobs to the private sector in recent years.

"The data are not useful for a direct public-private pay comparison," said Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union.

[mikegideon]

Federal worker pay tops private sector

For a bunch of nonproductive employees to make bunches

more money than the average private sector employee, I

think this will not end good.

Does the private sector number include ALL private sector jobs, like McDonalds? If so, it's bad data.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

General Schedule - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

That is our pay scale.

You have to be a GS15 step 9 before you make more than that average.

The article also stated "pay and benefits". Not arguing with you about

your salary, Daniel, but the GS pay scale doesn't include benefits, does it?

The ones not getting paid enough are the ones putting their lives on the line,

but that's the way the system is set up.

[Daniel]

The benefits I am going to guess would be the thrift savings plan which you can research on its website and insurance.

My insurance which is the same anyone that is GS (not sure about the other pay schedules) can get was not as good as the one my wife could get for us as a teacher. Dont tell me next that teachers are over paid. She has a master's degree where I have only 1 semester of higher learning and we make almost the same. We stuck with hers.

I do get paid for federal holidays plus military leave equivalent to 2 weeks paid to cover annual training. I earn vacation time and sick time but I have used less than 3 days sick leave in 2 years.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Daniel

[Guest 6.8 AR]

You seem to think I am picking a fight. Wrong! The same can be said about my wife's

insurance compared to mine, and, again, no. I don't think I have ever mentioned

anything along those lines, concerning teachers.

For the record, I didn't say anyone was overpaid. However, there are some disparities

that are interesting at some levels of government. I'm not singling anyone out.

Please don't put words in my mouth. The article was interesting to

me. Is that some kind of problem? It was put here to stimulate a discussion,

nothing more.

[Tim Nunan]

I'm too lazy too look it up but does the 2.15 million employees include the military? I imagine it is a powerful voting block and all but the military usually votes republican so if it includes the military it might balance out.

With the many obstacales trying to vote absentee the feared voting block of the military has yet to have a significant impact.