Language in omnibus bill ensures blue-collar workers receive same raise as white-collar counterparts

WASHINGTON, Jan. 13, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Federation of Government Employees, the nation's largest federal employee union, today thanked lawmakers for including language in the omnibus budget bill providing the government's blue-collar workers the same pay raise other employees received this month.

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White-collar employees in the government's General Schedule pay system received a 1 percent pay raise this year, ending an unprecedented three-year pay freeze. However, separate legislation was required to extend this pay raise to blue-collar workers under the Federal Wage System.

"With this language in place, more than 200,000 employees at our military bases, veterans' hospitals, federal prisons and other worksites now will receive the modest pay raise being given to all other federal workers," AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said. "Congress clearly recognizes the importance of ensuring pay parity for all federal employees, regardless of which pay system they fall into, and I am glad that this inequality was corrected."

Cox extended his appreciation to the following lawmakers for ensuring the measure was included in the final omnibus bill: Sens. Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Mark Warner of Virginia, Tom Udall of New Mexico, and Barbara Mikulski of Maryland; and Reps. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, Frank Wolf of Virginia and Ander Crenshaw of Florida.

In addition, Cox thanked Rep. Rep. Matt Cartwright of Pennsylvania and Tom Cole of Oklahoma for introducing legislation in November to provide hourly federal workers the same pay adjustment as their salaried co-workers. The legislation received the bipartisan endorsement of more than 20 representatives.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal employee union, representing 670,000 workers in the federal government and the government of the District of Columbia.

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SOURCE American Federation of Government Employees

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