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Gov Career

By Phil Piemonte

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And now things get really interesting

Well, if you wondered how long it would take, the wait is over. A federal employee union—the largest—is once again opposing policies proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), this time in the context of his role as GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s running mate.

The American Federation of Government Employees and other federal employee unions have spent the last year or more blasting policies Ryan has proposed as House Budget Committee chairman, particularly the measures contained in his “Path to Prosperity” fiscal 2013 budget resolution that affect federal employees.

Consequently, it seemed preordained that those groups would line up once again against Ryan’s policies in his new status, even if it took a few days for them to get over the shock of his nomination.

So on Aug. 14, federal workers and union activists from the Nevada AFL-CIO and AFGE, which is holding its national convention in Las Vegas, rallied outside a nearby hotel where Ryan was attending a fundraiser. According to AFGE, there were 1,000 protesters in attendance.

While an AFGE press release highlighted the union’s opposition to Ryan’s authorship or support of proposals that would change federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and purportedly “deliver more tax breaks to the millionaires and billionaires, oil companies and Wall Street firms,” perhaps the main sticking points vis à vis federal employees are contained in four short paragraphs contained in Ryan’s 99-page Path to Prosperity:

“The federal government’s responsibilities require a strong federal workforce. Federal workers deserve to be compensated equitably for their important work, but their pay levels, pay increases and fringe benefits should be reformed to better align with those of their private-sector counterparts.

“Compensation for federal workers continues to outpace pay for their private-sector counterparts. The non-partisan CBO recently released a study saying that federal workers are, on average, compensated 16 percent higher than comparable private-sector employees. Immune from the effects of the recession, federal workers have received regular salary bumps regardless of productivity or economic realities.

“The reforms called for in this budget aim to slow the federal government’s unsustainable growth and reflect the growing frustration of workers across the country at the privileged rules enjoyed by government employees. They reduce the public-sector bureaucracy, not through layoffs, but via a gradual, sensible attrition policy. By 2015, this reform would result in a 10 percent reduction in the federal workforce.

“Additionally, this budget freezes federal pay through 2015 and asks federal employees to make a more equitable contribution to their retirement plans. When combined, these proposals will save taxpayers approximately $368 billion over ten years.”

In the union’s Aug. 15 press release on the demonstration, AFGE Legislative and Political Director Beth Moten said that Ryan’s “anti-federal employee budget proposals” make it “crystal clear that the Ryan budget will be the plan for the Romney Administration.”

Maybe yes, maybe no. Time will tell on that one. Until then, the case is up for debate.

Anyone up for debating it?

Posted by Phil Piemonte on August 15, 2012 at 4:12 PM



 

Reader comments

Tue, Sep 4, 2012 opm.change@yahoo.com

Twenty seven (27) years into my career with the Federal Government I lost the job I loved due to a medical illness. That was almost 3 years ago…I was denied my medical retirement even though I provided all the supporting documentation with my initial application. I was denied unemployment benefits to help me live, as I was “sick and couldn’t work.” I’ve been fighting OPM to approve my retirement during this entire time; I am on the verge of losing my home, my car, many things I worked for are gone as I sold off my belongings to live, my credit is ruined. Finally in May of this year my retirement was “granted”, granted based on the facts and information the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) had all along. It is now September and I have yet to see even one annuity payment so I may still lose my home and car. I need my health benefits, where are they! This is tax dollar abuse. The Office of Personnel Management is a discredit to both the taxpayer and the Federal employee. In my research on OPM, I have discovered that I am not alone, cases such as mine run relentlessly throughout OPM. When calling local federal HRO offices, it was an accepted fact by those answering the phones that OPM is “running behind.” Why accept it! Let’s weed out the OPM debris. We need someone in office who will clean up OPM, make better use of our tax dollars…..is OPM just another GSA?

Wed, Aug 29, 2012 Dennis Fitzgerald VA Hell, Limbo

Wow, now I know where all the support is coming from for our current administration! Not sure from what I can read here that I get a true sampling of government employees but your certainly an entitled sounding bunch. I've been dealing with the VA administration for the past three years while losing my home, company, livelyhood, health and even my car. While people too stupid to even read my case file, bungle it up (simple clerical error not a "clear and unmistakeable error CEU" - but clearly a clerical error?) and no one cares. No one is responsible to me or any other Vet, they mess up these cases and toss them around for years at a time hoping the vet will expire before it is settled. Well you don't need to ask what I think of government employees, VA could be turned over to the Russian guy on the credit card commercial "this is Betty" and get better results. There does need to be changes made, by whatever administration! If your a VA employee and you are part of this problem you deserve to plight of the veterans who cases you stall out and bungle up.

Sat, Aug 25, 2012 MikeHsv

There are 5 to 10X more middle managers in federal government positions than would EVER exist in private industry, for the given workload. It's that inert mass, or in analogy to with the mysteries of the universe, "dark matter", that seriously must be cut back to make federal spending more sustainable.

Wed, Aug 22, 2012 RicknATL

Before Ryan proposes cuts, he might want to learn a bit about the subject matter. His ignorance coupled with his power, would be a disaster for all middle class americans.

Sat, Aug 18, 2012 Lew San Diego

First, Paul Ryan is no economist. His "budget proposal" is a shell only, without any details of how most of the savings will be generated. According to the CBO, it will result in a net $2.6 trillion increase to the deficit. The major beneficiaries of the Ryan plan are millionaires and corporations. Second, I just can't pass on the remark that "The GOP is obviously the right choice this election after all of the hatred the present President is spreading around the country." From the party that has generated the birther movement, death panels, and the non-stop labeling of the current economic program as "socialist" and "marxist". The irony is palpable. Irony meters are exploding all over the world.

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