“Given a report that shows the average federal worker earns 16 percent more compensation than private-sector workers, do you support extending the pay freeze for these workers?”
Karen Anderson: “Yes. Times have really changed. It used to be called government service. I think they deserve comparable pay but government compensation (at all levels) has escalated ahead of the private sector in the last 20 years.”
Dave Appling: “No. (1) The report compares apples to oranges. (2) The 16 percent average masks wide differences; e.g., advanced-degree professionals are compensated well below market. Some managerial flexibility is clearly needed. (3) The system needs serious reform, but extending the freeze is just a cop-out.”
Bert Berson: “No. Not across the board. There are a number of factors at play. Government employees with college degrees earn less than their private sector equivalents. Employees without degrees earn more. In both cases the total compensation includes retirement, vacations and compensation in the form of healthcare and other benefits. Changes are necessary but a more nuanced approach is needed.”
Chris Bryant: “Yes, the economics of private versus public sectors result in increases in public sector pay during good economic periods, they should also reflect decreases felt by private sectors when the economy declines. At the least, they should never continue increases that were planned based on continued economic growth that never materialized.”
Dennis Kennedy: “Yes!”
Julian Mancias: “Yes.”
Henry Miller: “A pay freeze? Absolutely! In fact, why not a roll back? Let’s see, more than three million employees with a monthly payroll of nearly $20 billion, that would save about $2.5 billion per month. Well, there goes the National debt and we would have a budget surplus. What a great idea.”
Lisa Pampuch: “Yes. But because most of the difference is due to pension and health care benefits for federal workers that are far more generous than what’s offered to most private-sector workers, I also support pension and benefit reform for federal employees.”
Jeff Smith: “Yes, we should continue a pay freeze on federal workers (including Congress) until their pay and benefits are more in line with the private sector. Also, eliminating entire departments such as the departments of energy, education, and others that serve no purpose would also help. The shrinking private sector cannot afford to continue to support an ever-growing public sector.”
Steve Staloch: “Yes.”
