$83,679 vs. $51,986. Who Deserves a Raise?
Congressman Cantor Opposes Across the Board Federal Civilian Pay Raise
Did you know that in 2010 the average salary for a federal civilian employee was $83,679? At the same time, the average private sector salary was $51,986. When you add benefits to the equation, total compensation packages for federal employees stood at $126,141 compared to $62,757. 1
And now, President Obama has given all of these federal civilian employees a pay raise. Congressman Eric Cantor believes that’s just wrong. “Last week, the House voted to overturn President Obama’s executive order which gave the entire civilian federal workforce – including the Vice President and Cabinet Secretaries – an across-the-board pay hike,” said Congressman Cantor. “Federal workers already make 16% more than those in the private sector. Even during the current federal pay freeze, the average federal salary increased by more than $3,000. Hardworking taxpayers and families struggling to get by shouldn’t have to bear an additional $11 billion in new government spending.”
$51,986 = Average Private Sector Salary (2010)
$83,679 = Average Federal Civilian Employee Salary (2010)
On Friday, Congressman Cantor voted to stop this automatic pay raise for federal employees by voting in favor of H.R. 273, Overturning the President’s Federal Pay Hike. This bill would stop the federal employee pay raise for federal civilian employees, including raises scheduled for the President, Vice President and Members of Congress.
Over the last decade, the average federal salary has increased by 62 percent – from $51,518 to $83,679. At a time when we’re worried about the need to get government spending under control, the last thing we need is an across the board pay raise – especially when it isn’t even based on merit.
Congressman Cantor concluded, “The President’s pay hike is extremely reckless in the face of sequestration. The Administration should be looking for ways to reduce spending not increase it. Putting our country on a fiscally sustainable path should not only be a shared goal, it is a responsibility. It’s time to work together and get serious about solving our spending problem.”
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