Trump Has a Plan for Federal Workers, and They Aren't Going to Like It

I see way to many assumptions in this article. Automatic pay raises, yes, on the GS scale you receive a pay raise every year for step 1-4, then every 3 years for step 5-10. What do they think we get a raise every year? Many federal workers actually TAKE A PAY CUT to go government. The Union does not support all federal workers only those that in the trades. I do not have any union representation nor does it impact my work, pay or position. Pension? Works out to about 1% per year of service so if I did 30 years, I could retire with 30% of my high three years of earnings Example 30 years at $100,000 would be $30,000 a year or $2,500 a month before taxes. That is not much to live one, but I do understand it's more than others get. 401K: federal employees contribute to their retirement accounts in the Thrift Saving Plan (TSP) with a % kicked in my the government, just like other 401Ks. What will change here? Do I have to contribute 20%? I don't know and neither does anyone else. While there may be minor tweaks, I do not believe that major changes are required. The Federal Government is not the civilian sector, it can not and will not operate the same. I give up a higher wage to work for the federal government, why should we be penalized for working for the USA? Just an old retired Master Gunnys opinion. Semper Fi.

One of the biggest issues with Federal workers is quality. How do you convince a talented IT professional earning six figures to take a 30% pay cut to work for the Federal government? That means that many of the best and brightest shun Federal service.

I worked in the private sector and the public sector. I took a small pay cut to become a government civilian. It was worth it for the increased benefits and job stability.

My chief complaints with civil service were: little connection between performance and pay; nearly impossible to fire poor performers; power of unions to make life miserable for managers to the detriment of the employees. I could write at least a paragraph about each. My shortest solution: prohibit unions entirely.