FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 31, 2026
August 31, 2026
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
Largest Federal Employee Union Blasts Trump Move to Freeze Pay for Most Federal Workers
Categories:
Pay, White House
Denying workers a pay raise will make it harder for agencies to recruit and retain talent, AFGE says
WASHINGTON – American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley today issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s decision to freeze the salaries of most federal employees next year:
“For the second year in a row, President Trump has decided to deny most federal workers a pay raise next year. This is a slap in the face to the dedicated civil servants who keep our nation running and will make it harder for federal agencies to recruit and retain essential employees.
“For years, wages for federal employees haven’t kept pace with rising costs for housing, food, utilities, and other essentials. Private-sector workers currently earn 27% more on average than federal employees doing the same job. To add insult to injury, the administration is asking for special approval to pay hundreds of employees ‘requiring an extremely high level of expertise’ up to $400,000 a year – equal to the president’s base salary – even as it denies workers a basic cost-of-living raise.
“Federal employees treat our veterans and support our military, safeguard our food and air, process retirement and disability payments for tens of millions of Americans every month, and so much more. Making sure they earn a fair wage isn’t just good for them – it’s good for the quality of government services and the people we all serve.
“Because this White House refuses to recognize the invaluable contributions our federal workers make every day, I’m calling on Congress to step up and pass the Federal Adjustment of Incomes Rates (FAIR) Act, which would provide federal employees with a much-deserved 4.1% pay raise in 2027.”
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