Coalition of Federal Unions Pen Letter to Biden Defending Federal Pensions
Tuesday, June 21, 2011(National Federation of Federal Employees)
In
response to reports that the Congress and
Administration were considering pension cuts as
part of a deal to raise the national debt
ceiling, a coalition of federal Unions last
week penned a sharply worded letter urging
the exclusion of retirement benefits from any
potential compromise.
Along
with sixteen other Unions representing federal
workers, NFFE called on Vice President Joe
Biden – the leader of the Administration’s
negotiation team – to defend the hard-earned
pension benefits of federal employees.
“As
the Obama Administration’s chief negotiator
with respect to coming to an agreement that
will lead to an increase in the debt ceiling,
please reject the current dishonest
scapegoating of federal employees. Civil
Servants cannot be blamed for the current
economic downturn, which was caused by private
sector and financial industry recklessness and
greed along with a failure of federal
regulatory oversight.”
The
proposal under consideration would increase
federal employees’ contributions to their
pensions each pay period by as much as five
times. Federal employees currently pay just
under one percent of their salary to their
pensions. The most radical proposal, endorsed
by many Republicans, would increase that
contribution to five percent of federal
employees’ paychecks every pay period. The
Unions argue that this is more than just an
unfair attack on federal workers; it is a
violation of the Administration’s pledge not
to raise taxes on those making under $250,000
per year.
“Make
no mistake about it, the proposed increase in
federal employee payments is a payroll tax
increase just as surely as any increase to
social security payments would
be.”
Reminding Biden that federal employees
have already sacrificed two years worth of pay
adjustments, the Unions let the Administration
know that another dip at the federal employee
well would be
unacceptable.
“Last
December, Labor took one for the team and
tempered its criticism. We cannot be expected
to stand idly by this time around….Federal
workers have already sacrificed enormously with
the two-year pay freeze, which represents up to
a $50,000 dollar a year cut… for an
individual employee over the next
decade.”
Labor
supports a shared sacrifice in order to bring
our deficits and debt under control. This means
cutting back on expensive tax subsidies for
corporations that are raking in record profits
and eliminating lawmakers’ wasteful pork
barrel pet projects. Asking middle class
federal workers to shoulder even more of the
burden would spell disaster for them and their
families. NFFE and our Sisters and Brothers in
Labor promise to do everything we can to take
your families’ futures off the bargaining
table.
“We
will fight any efforts to vilify these fine
public servants who have dedicated their lives,
and who sometimes give their lives, for their
country.
Their middle-class patriotism and
commitment to public service should be
rewarded, certainly not
punished.”
Comments