FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 21, 2005
June 21, 2005
Emily Ryan
(202) 639-6421
(202) 639-6421
AFGE Commends House on Pay Parity Vote
(Washington)—In a bipartisan voice vote, the House Appropriations Committee today agreed to include in the FY 2006 Transportation and Treasury Appropriation Bill a 3.1 percent pay raise next year for federal civilian employees, which brings the civilian raise to parity with military personnel.
“Since President Bush proposed a pay raise of only 2.3 percent for federal civilian employees but 3.1 percent for military personnel, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has worked long and hard trying to convince members of Congress that the contributions of federal civilian and military personnel to our nation's general welfare and security deserve mutual recognition and respect,” said AFGE National President John Gage. “And now, the House Committee has confirmed what we’ve been saying all along.
“AFGE’s legislative team, lobbyists, and grassroots activists worked vigorously to make this happen. But this isn’t just a victory for the union, it’s a victory for all federal employees—blue or white collar, Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security,” Gage added. “Thanks to the 2006 Hoyer-Wolf-Moran Pay Amendment, federal employees are a step closer to getting the same pay increase that members of the military will receive in their basic pay.
“Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and James Moran (D-Va.) are to be commended for taking the interests of the nation to heart by affirming the work performed on behalf of the American people,” Gage said. “AFGE also credits the Appropriations Committee for declining to approve a request by the Office of Personnel Management for $2.6 million to study and implement government wide civil service reform.”
“Since President Bush proposed a pay raise of only 2.3 percent for federal civilian employees but 3.1 percent for military personnel, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) has worked long and hard trying to convince members of Congress that the contributions of federal civilian and military personnel to our nation's general welfare and security deserve mutual recognition and respect,” said AFGE National President John Gage. “And now, the House Committee has confirmed what we’ve been saying all along.
“AFGE’s legislative team, lobbyists, and grassroots activists worked vigorously to make this happen. But this isn’t just a victory for the union, it’s a victory for all federal employees—blue or white collar, Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security,” Gage added. “Thanks to the 2006 Hoyer-Wolf-Moran Pay Amendment, federal employees are a step closer to getting the same pay increase that members of the military will receive in their basic pay.
“Reps. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and James Moran (D-Va.) are to be commended for taking the interests of the nation to heart by affirming the work performed on behalf of the American people,” Gage said. “AFGE also credits the Appropriations Committee for declining to approve a request by the Office of Personnel Management for $2.6 million to study and implement government wide civil service reform.”
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