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Why Federal Workers Deserve What They're Paid
The Washington Post ^ | February 3, 2010 | Joe Davidson

Posted on 02/03/2010 7:26:09 AM PST by Poundstone

Excerpt: The budget answers critics, including Scott Brown, the newly elected Republican senator from Massachusetts, who say federal civilians earn much more than private-sector workers. There's a reason for that. Federal workers are better educated.

"The Federal Government hires lawyers to tackle corruption, security professionals to monitor our borders, doctors to care for our injured veterans, and world-class scientists to combat deadly diseases such as cancer," the budget says. "Because of these vital needs, the Federal Government hires a relatively highly educated workforce, resulting in higher average pay."

Consider these stats: Twenty percent of federal workers have a master's, professional or doctorate degree, compared with 13 percent in the private sector. Fifty-one percent of federal employees have a college degree of some sort, but only 35 percent do in the private sector.

Frankie and Flo may not be smarter than other folks, but they do have more schooling, and they get paid accordingly. They are also substantially older, and that contributes to higher pay -- 46 percent of federal employees are 50 or older, compared with 31 percent of private-sector workers.

Although the section doesn't say so, comparing overall federal and private-sector pay is misleading in another way, because Uncle Sam doesn't employ many people at the bottom of the wage scale the way industry does.

Job-for-job comparisons tell a completely different story. In fact, government figures indicate that federal employees are underpaid by 26 percent compared with their counterparts in similar position in the business world.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: employees; federal; federalemployees; government
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To: achilles2000
Interesting how many “conservatives” turn out to be closet “moderates” or liberals. All you need to do is to criticize or threaten the existence of the particular program or “employment opportunity” the left has bought them off with.

This site is loaded with these types....Nothing worse that flaming political groupies that are nothing but hypocrites to the core.

261 posted on 02/03/2010 8:36:49 PM PST by dragnet2
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To: Presbyterian Reporter
Thanks for outing Poundstone. Now his comments make some sense.

These people are really easy to spot, even when they attempt to sugar coat their responses to make them fit. When asked to respond to hard questions, they often just slither off.

262 posted on 02/03/2010 8:46:18 PM PST by dragnet2
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To: Poundstone

What a crock of puke!

Federal employees are lazy ignorant, cognitively limited tax eaters!


263 posted on 02/03/2010 9:10:15 PM PST by editor-surveyor (Democracy, the vilest form of government, pits the greed of an angry mob vs. the rights of a man)
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To: muawiyah
"There's always someone around who imagines that federal employees do nothing all day and still get paid."

Yep! - Except its not in any way imaginary; its at least 60% of them. Forest Service is the worst.

264 posted on 02/03/2010 9:13:26 PM PST by editor-surveyor (Democracy, the vilest form of government, pits the greed of an angry mob vs. the rights of a man)
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To: muawiyah

No you don’t. Someone else is performing that task now.


265 posted on 02/03/2010 11:48:20 PM PST by Republic of Texas (Socialism Always Fails)
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To: muawiyah

Nope. Engineer.

Engineers in government employ get nice pay automatic pay increases annually while we in the private sector have to work hard to keep up with inflation(Federal COL increases alone out pace my merit based increases-and I’ve performed at a level that allowed me to often get raises when the majority of my co-workers did not). They get the job security while I’ve watched friends and coworkers get laid off every year since I’ve started working professionally. And they get a nice, strictly maintained 40 hour work week while us private sector shlubs have to routinely put in 50-60 hour weeks.

Nice work if you can get it. The boredom and tedious paperwork might my work day more unpleasant, but I’m sure an extra 10-20 hours a week with my family would make up for it.


266 posted on 02/04/2010 12:40:07 AM PST by Flying Circus
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To: Errant

Near as I can tell, satellites are pretty popular, useful thingies that require launching into orbit on big pointy rockets and will for some years ahead. So I’ll take my chances with my lowely government “position” since I don’t got smarts like you to make it in the real world. Thanks.


267 posted on 02/04/2010 1:37:39 AM PST by meowmeow (In Loving Memory of Our Dear Viking Kitty (1987-2006))
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To: dragnet2
Hmm ~ unionization ~ pretty much craps out at GS 5 or PS 6 (or the wage grade job classifications).

Treasury has some folks a bit higher but that's a special deal there.

For the most part extensive unionization occurs mostly in the Postal Service.

I do believe that you have to look at local and state governments to find a lot of unionized government workers.

268 posted on 02/04/2010 4:08:06 AM PST by muawiyah ("Git Out The Way")
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To: Republic of Texas

Still, the customers think they own the company. Makes ‘em particularly obnoxious.


269 posted on 02/04/2010 4:10:26 AM PST by muawiyah ("Git Out The Way")
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To: meowmeow

Not a problem for me love. I hope you are better at your job than at judging what other people know. Good luck to you.


270 posted on 02/04/2010 6:57:46 AM PST by Errant
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