National President Dougan Issues Statement on Vote to Freeze Federal Pay Through 2013
Thursday, February 2, 2012
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Cory Bythrow, Communications Director
Phone: (202) 216-4458
Washington, D.C. – In
response to a House vote last night freezing
federal pay for an additional year, National
Federation of Federal Employees National
President William R. Dougan issued the
following statement:
"We are
disappointed to see the result of Wednesday’s
vote. Extending the federal pay freeze by an
additional year would cost federal workers and
their families tens of thousands of dollars
over the course of their careers, on top of
tens of thousands more in forgone income
resulting from the current two-year freeze.
This is a damaging development for the two
million middle class federal workers struggling
to get by in this economy just like anyone
else. A third year of frozen pay for a federal
firefighter making $36,000 a year could mean
the difference between making the housing
payment and going into foreclosure. For a VA
nurse making $42,000 a year it could mean the
difference between sending her kids to college,
and delaying their dreams another year.
Extending the federal pay freeze would have a
deep and lasting impact on the lives of
millions of public servants across America - a
reality our leaders in Washington must never
forget.
Worse
yet was the way this bill was packaged -
requiring lawmakers to vote on both a federal
worker and congressional pay freeze at the same
time. If Congress was serious about helping the
middle class, they would freeze their own
paychecks without dipping into the pockets of
food and safety inspectors, border patrol
agents, and VA nurses at the same time. Federal
workers are sick and tired of politicians
trying to score cheap political points off
their backs. They come to work every day to
serve their fellow Americans, and they do it
with pride and distinction. Yesterday,
Congress failed them.
Nonetheless, we take consolation in
knowing that many of the votes in support of
this bill had nothing to do with supporting
further pay freezes for federal
workers. This vote was about election year
politics, plain and simple.”
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