Republican plan to cut Federal Workers, Pay, Retirement

[James48843]

Republicans at it some more. This time, they want to cut any bonuses AND STEP INCREASES.

From Govexec.com:

GOP lawmakers seek to freeze bonuses, step increases

By Emily Long elong@govexec.com February 16, 2011

House lawmakers want to take the two-year civilian pay freeze a step further by canceling any increase in compensation this year.

Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., on Wednesday introduced an amendment to House spending legislation that would deny federal employees step increases allowed under the General Schedule. A similar amendment to the continuing resolution from Rep. Todd Rokita, R-Ind., would prevent any appropriated funds from being used for federal employee salary increases.

President Obama in November announced a two-year pay freeze for all federal civilians, a provision supported in his fiscal 2012 budget proposal released on Monday. The president's freeze, however, would not apply to promotions, step increases or awards.

Union leaders on Wednesday expressed opposition to the amendments.

More from govexec: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=47133&oref=todaysnews

 

[Silverbird]

Literally hundreds of amendments out there so we can't this one a "Republican plan". More like the "Issa Plan" (and coming from him, I'm not surprised). Not that I think this is a good idea - it pretty much stinks.

 

[FAB1]

Cut ALL mangers by 10% - freeze ALL GS 12 and above - only hire one manager to every four that retire or leave service.

By GUM I want to hear the Unions HOWL over that!!

 

[alevin]

Not all 12s are managers, Fab, in fact most are not. at least in my outfit. and managers not represented by unions either, why would unions howl?.

 

[FAB1]

Not all 12s are managers, Fab, in fact most are not. at least in my outfit. and managers not represented by unions either, why would unions howl?.

Meet Captain Obvious.

 

[FAB1]

Not all 12s are managers, Fab, in fact most are not. at least in my outfit. and managers not represented by unions either, why would unions howl?.

My post went byebye

 

[alevin]

Republicans at it some more. This time, they want to cut any bonuses AND STEP INCREASES.http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=47133&oref=todaysnews

was surprised that proposal didnt show up sooner than it did. been expecting it.

 

[Silverbird]

Aren't most managers on SES and not GS?

 

[James48843]

Literally hundreds of amendments out there so we can't this one a "Republican plan". More like the "Issa Plan" (and coming from him, I'm not surprised). Not that I think this is a good idea - it pretty much stinks.

Representative Darrell Issa (R-CA) is the CHAIRMAN OF the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.


That makes him THE guy who is able to introduce and pass stuff he wants.

All the other 434 members of Congress just get to give their ideas to Mr. Issa. Then Mr. Issa gets to choose which ones will get to be voted on.


It's not like the Chairman of the committee has the same powers as every one else. The chairman has THE power to make things happen.

Yes, this is THE official House Republican plan.

 

[James48843]

Aren't most managers on SES and not GS?

Very few managers are SES. SES is SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE.

I may be off somewhat in my numbers, but in my agency, I think there are around 8,000 managers, and perhaps no more than 200 SES executives.

 

[Frixxxx]

Depends on Agency and their structure Silverbird, I'm a GS-12, but so is my boss.

In the Beltway, there are higher structures.

At the Reserve Base I used to work @, the General was a GS-15, Vice- GS-14, the Group Commanders were GS-13, Squadron Commanders GS-12, Vice GS-11, Workers GS-9.

Those were all ART (Air Reseve Technician) positions!

 

[ArchAngel]

...and then there are us lowly GS-6's that can absolutely not afford any further cuts in pay.

 

[Buster]

Something to consider!

When a company falls on difficult times, one of the things that seems to happen is they reduce their staff and workers. The remaining workers must find ways to continue to do a good job or risk that their job would be eliminated as well.


Wall street and the media normally congratulate the CEO for making this type of "tough decision", and the board of directors gives upper corporate management big bonuses

..
Our government should not be immune from similar risks.

Therefore:

Reduce the House of Representatives from the current 435 members to 218 members.
Reduce Senate members from 100 to 50 (one per State). Then, reduce their remaining staff by 25%.
Accomplish this over the next 8 years (two steps/two elections) and of course this would require some redistricting.


Some Yearly Monetary Gains Include:

$44,108,400 for elimination of base pay for congress. (267 members X $165,200 pay/member/ yr.)

$437,100,000 for elimination of their staff. (estimate $1.3 Million in staff per each member of the House, and $3 Million in staff per each member of the Senate every year)

$108,350,000 for the reduction in remaining staff by 25%.

$7,500,000,000reduction in pork barrel earmarks each year. (those members whose jobs are gone. Current estimates for total government pork earmarks are at $15 Billion/yr).

The remaining representatives would need to worksmarter and improveefficiencies.It might even be intheir best interests to work together for the good of our country!

We may also expect that smaller committees might lead to a more efficient resolution of issues as well.It might even be easier to keep track of what your representative is doing.

Congress has more tools available to do their jobs than it had back in 1911 when the current number of representatives was established. (telephone, computers, cell phones to name a few)

Note:
Congress does not hesitate to head home for extended weekends, holidays and recesses, when what the nation needs is a real fix for economic problems. Also, we had 3 senators thatwere not doing their jobs for the 18+ months (on the campaign trail) and still they all accepted full pay. Minnesota survived very well with only one senator for the first half of this year These facts alone support a reduction in senators and congress.

Summary ofopportunity:

$44,108,400 reduction of congress members.

$282,100,000 for elimination of the reduced house member staff.

$150,000,000 for elimination of reduced senate member staff.

$70,850,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining house members.

$37,500,000 for 25% reduction of staff for remaining senate members.

$7,500,000,000 reduction in pork added to bills by the reduction of congress members.

$8,084,558,400 per year, estimated total savings. (that's 8-BILLION just to start!)

Corporate America does thesetypes of cuts all the time.
There's even a name for it. "Downsizing."
------------------------------
Also, if Congresspersons were required to serve 20, 25 or 30 years (like everyone else) in order to collect retirement benefits, taxpayers could save a bundle.



Now they get full retirement after serving only ONE term.

 

[Silverbird]

Imagine the fistfights to figure out which districts don't get representation and which Senator has to quit. I don't see this flying. Staff and other cuts however....

 

[nnuut]

Good Idea Buster, MISS is always better.

 

[James48843]

Interesting thoughts there Buster, but no, Congressmen don't get "full retirement benefits after only one term."

Today, Congressmen are FERS employees, and have both a length of service requirement, and an age requirement, before they can collect any FERS pension.

http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid='0E,*PLC8"@

Technically, a U.S. Senator COULD get something after one term, since it only requires five years of service for those over age 62 to get SOMETHING from FERS. But it certainly wouldn't be very much.

 

[James48843]

The vote on killing any step increases or awards FAILED in the early morning hours.

The vote was 191-230.

190 republicans and one dem voted to kill any step increases, and
46 republicans joined 184 democrats in preventing the amendment from passing.

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll133.xml

Close call, but it didn't get approved.

 

[FundSurfer]

Bless there little pea picken hearts.....

 

[Silverbird]

Get rid of grade and step increases, now that would have been a fine idea: encourage younger workers (read low in grade scale and low in the step increases) to leave and more expensive older workers (read max grade for job and may have reached terminus in grade) to stay!

At least some Congressmen get past the noise of the rhetoric and realize what the proposal really encouraged.

 

[nnuut]

Dangit I thought it was the Repubs?:suspicious:

CBO Report Suggests Cuts in Federal Employee Pay and Benefits Over Next Decade to Reduce Deficit
March 16, 2011

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released a report on March 10 suggesting that billions of dollars in the federal deficit could be saved over the next 10 years in part by reducing pay and benefits for civilian employees.
http://www.myfederalretirement.com/public/848.cfm