Re: The Real Mistake

You have an MBA and you don't know that sweeping generalizations and vague comparisons that are intended to inflame are much easier than actually performing work? For shame! Just kidding. It does make you wonder, though, if the people from the CATO institute are themselves government workers, being over-paid and in continual work-avoidance mode. I mean, that is what us gov't workers are supposed to be, isn't it? Does that mean I'll have to stop donating my excess leave every year, since supporting the Fleet pretty much precludes taking an actual vacation? Just asking.

Re: The Real Mistake

I read all of the comments so far. A couple of thoughts come to mind. First that old saying there are lies, damn lies, and statistics. But what I think is much more interesting and hasn't been mentioned is this debate centers around Govt. vs Private employees. Consider if you will that in the private sector the same job in different companys will have vastly different compensasion. So why would anyone expect it to be any different when comparing Govt. vs Private sector. I understand the attempt, but in reality no meaningful data will ever be obtained.

Re: The Real Mistake

I would suggest that the CATO folks know they are being disingenuous with their report. They aren't any dumber than anyone else, and are likely smarter than your average bear.

If you wanted to do an actual comparison, you might look at private sector equivalents for similar work. The Gen Sched job descriptions are generally precise about education/work experience, so you have a reasonable base for comparison against the privates.

Lies and damn lies. The kind of study we are discussing shouldn't even rise to the title of statistics.

Re: The Real Mistake

This whole issue is political period. Im convinced that if this administration could they would eliminate the federal workforce. NSPS is an attempt to pare down the federal workforce, one more step closer to no federal workforce. I am just taking this all in, along with the political BRAC nonsense when I pull the lever for the democrats in Nov.

Re: A local comparsion of salaries

Absolutley.

In some areas/skills, the private sector is paying much more than federal service. At least for the moment, and then there is the whole pension issue.

In other area/disciplines, federal service far beats out the private sector.

I used to be in an orgaization where most of the admin folks were the same grade as the engineers. When I worked in the private sector, the admin folks would never have earned as much as the engineers.

Re: Average Pay

Planning Supervisor, FAA says:
"The CATO institute is famous for slanting facts infavor of contracting out federal jobs. Don't be taken in."

I wonder if we can get the salaries, perks and benefits of the CATO employees to compare with their counterparts in the federal government.

Re: Why are we still paying more

as the average federal employee is now in the top 25% of taxpayers, I gather from your comment that we are getting richer as we are federal employees. That may be true as our benefits are generally superior and our raises have been higher than those in the private sector but I suspect that is not the point you were trying to make.

Re: Why are we still paying more

I'm nowhere near as smart as you are, but I took her meaning as the people who own the companies that this contract labor works for are getting richer, primarily at the expense of their employees. Which was one of the impeti (is that a word?) for the union movement in the first place. People always say "dang, lookit them union workers, gettin fat, rich, and lazy!" while forgetting all about the companies that employ those union workers getting morbidly obese and obscenely rich. It's not even economically sound to blame the highly paid workers, but you know that corporations do have a vested interest in perpetrating that lie.