Democrats are pushing a plan to give federal workers a massive pay raise because they claim that former President Donald Trump was “cruel” and because the coronavirus pandemic was hard.
The proposed 8.7% raise for nearly 2 million federal workers would happen next year and would come after President Joe Biden already gave them a 4.6% raise this year.
“For years now, federal employees have risked their health and safety working on the frontlines of this pandemic,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA).
“They were subjected to the Trump Administration’s cruel personal attacks, unsafe work environments, pay freezes, government shutdowns, sequestration cuts, furloughs, and mindless across-the-board hiring freezes,” Connolly said. “Still, our federal workforce serves with dedication and distinction every day. Federal employees are our government’s single greatest asset, and they deserve better.”
Connolly will attempt to get federal workers the big bump in pay by introducing the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates Act with Hawaiian Senator Brian Schatz (D).
Schatz said, “Whether inspecting our food, conducting medical research, or caring for our veterans, federal workers play an important role in our everyday lives and deserve pay which reflects that.”
Randy Erwin, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees, claimed that the raise was the least that could be done.
“The 8.7% increase listed in the FAIR Act is not a pay raise,” Erwin said. “It is the minimum increase needed to offset the dwindling checking accounts of public servants, and it is critical to recruiting and retaining the best possible workforce.”