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Federal Pay Gap With Private Sector Growing

Stop!

HR Spec
Navy
Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:28 AM

Post Reply

Please Ralph, haven't we beat this dead horse enough?! Let's stick to the controversy on health care reform and LR stuff. That's enough to keep everyone's comments coming in!

Re: Stop!

back in the saddle
the best
Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:25 AM
Puzzling that you would want to avoid this topic when so many of the commenters on this site carry on about the cost and scope of the Federal government. Readers of this site seem to be able to ignore the fact that they are part of and benefit greatly from the very programs they rail against. After 37 years of observation, I firmly believe that the majorit of Federal employees in Washington are over paid.

Re: Stop!

HR Spec
Navy
Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:14 PM
Avoid it? Why bother? You can't do anything to change it except b----- and moan, and still you won't be any further along than you were yesterday. Maybe some of these commentors need to read the "victim" article. Might be an eye opener.

Beans and Apples

IT Manager
DoD
Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:31 AM

Post Reply

I cannot even begin to tell you how many things are wrong with this comparison. If the survey was comparing all equivalent workers in the private sector to the federal employee counterparts, the difference would be significantly less (maybe even inverted in some cases). In my particular case, as a federal employee, when looking at average salaries as posted on Job Hunting Sites, I am in the bottom of the bell curve compared to private companies.

The government made a specific effort to reduce blue-collar workers and contract those services, yet this article is just an attempt to flame federal workers by comparing ALL workers against white collar government workers. Of course I make more with my 16 years of education and 4 professional certifications than a factory worker. Duh! Needless to say, this article should not even have made the news.

It's all relative

Skeptical
Fed Agency in DC
Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:34 AM

Post Reply

I think the "average" federal employee in the Washington DC area is well paid, but there are a lot of VERY well paid gov't contractors in the DC area as well. But since it is so incredibly expensive to live in the DC metro area, that six figure salary is quickly "knocked down to size". I'm sure that the average fed employee in the "Rest of the US" is NOT paid close to $80K as the article would suggest.

But on the flipside, I have observed a lot of six figure earning feds in the DC area that certainly DO NOT perform at a level commensurate with that amount of pay....relative to the private sector. Everyone gripes and says "oh the work they do is so highly important" blah, blah, blah. I have worked in the private sector and I can tell you that staff people just don't make six figure salaries in the private sector to sit around and socialize all day like I see among countless civil servants. Unfortunately this seems to be the "culture" in the agencys where I've worked. We need PFP!

Federal Employees Compensation

Customer Service Rep
U. S. Forest Service USDA
Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:39 AM

Post Reply

Would like to know where these averages came from.
They were not out in the field where most of federal employees work. I think that average was taken in Washington DC only. To get a more realistic view get away from DC. I would dearly love to be that so call average federal employee.

Re: Federal Employees Compensation

hr specialist
DoD Agency
Tue Aug 25, 2009 5:00 PM
The "average" that is referred to is a nationwide average. The average salary in Washington, DC now for a federal employee is about $95,000. Also, if you check the salaries in many of the large regional cities (e.g., San Francisco, NYC, etc.) you will find very high averages. Most of the federal employees are in large metropolitan areas with high locality pay which drive up the average.

Overpaid?

Power System Dispatcher
DOE
Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:40 AM

Post Reply

The DOE pays a journeyman power system dispatcher in my geographic region $118,904 per year. A 2009 survey of private sector power system dispatcher salaries in the same geographic region shows an average salary of $131,983. Draw your own conclusions.

There is a Difference

Fed Peasant
DOD
Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:41 AM

Post Reply

Where is my stock options? I want to be a CEO, or at least in the "inner circle, where I can make 200-5000 times more than the entry levle employee. I want to be able to hire, & fire at will. To heck with OPM & EEO, & all the rest! Where is my jet parked at? I need to attend an art auction, in London, to decorate my office.

Re: There is a Difference

Manager
FLRA
Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:41 AM
Then you need to get out of the government, start at a large private company, and work very hard to achieve CEO (or comparable) status. You sound like you believe that you are entitled to such a lifestyle and job, but in reality you must earn it. And if you fail, it's nobody else's responsibility to be there to pick you up.

Unfortunately, our government perpetuates such attitudes by offering so called "free" programs to people who are naive enough to believe they really are free (even though the masses pay for it or the government greatly increases its debt to cover the costs).

Re: There is a Difference

Fed Peasant
DOD
Tue Aug 25, 2009 11:15 AM
Manager FLRA:
Your impression of me is wrong!! I work two jobs. One federal & one private sector. I do well at both....THANK YOU!!! I am also very involved in portfolio mangement. Mine, & those of family, & a couple of close friends!!! That too goes very well....THANK YOU!!!! I am an owner of companies through their equity. I am a lender to various companies & governments, through their debt securities. If a company (or government) cannot pass muster for value, honesty, & opportunity, then my money goes elsewhere. I WALK THE WALK & TALK THE TALK. No freebies as you accuse & no trash talk BS!!!

Re: There is a Difference

HR Specialist
DOD
Tue Aug 25, 2009 12:11 PM
Dear FLRA Manager,

Please dismount from your high horse! Fed Peasent was being FACETIOUS! Does FLRA not have any employees with a sense of humor?

Re: There is a Difference

Diversity Manager
DOL
Tue Aug 25, 2009 3:14 PM
Your going to have to work more than 40 hours, vacations are nonexistent. You won't be able to say its not my job or that's the way we have always done it. You would have to give up your job for life mentality and hired and fired as an at will employee.
In short you are incapable of ever competing in the private sector

Re: There is a Difference

worker
fed
Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:03 AM
To diversity manager, I mean retired armed forces person,
How do you know what fed peasant can or cannot do? There are people who leave the government and do what is necessary to become successful. Some, such as myself, cannot because I do not wish to work the extra time.
Please reserve your judgement to those you know. or do you know fed peasant?

Re: There is a Difference

Fed Peasant
DOD
Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:20 AM
Diversity Manager DOL:
Lesson for you to ponder. I read the Wall Street Journal & explore things with an open mind. I don't listen to Rooosch Limpbogg, Fox news, & the like, & build my prosperity with their ideas. I actually profit from the gullible, & greedy, in the marketplace. I do just fine thank you!! I laugh all the way to the bank!!!

pay scale way off

Blue Collar Federal Worker
Veterans Administration
Tue Aug 25, 2009 9:44 AM

Post Reply

I do not understand this comparison as it must be only for the white collar workers. The average worker where I am does not even make close to this. Someone better rework this. This means there are too many chiefs and not enough indians!

Re: pay scale way off

IT Specialist
DoD
Tue Aug 25, 2009 10:43 AM
I've never been to China, but that doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. My point being that I don't make this much money either, but that doesn't mean that a lot of others don't. It is naive to assume that because people in a small area do not make a certain amount of money that others elsewhere also cannot possibly earn that amount.
Total Comments: 152
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