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President-elect Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress are drawing up plans to take on the government bureaucracy they have long railed against, by eroding job protections and grinding down benefits that federal workers have received for a generation.
Hiring freezes, an end to automatic raises, a green light to fire poor performers, a ban on union business on the government’s dime and less generous pensions — these are the contours of the blueprint emerging under Republican control of Washington in January.
They just become government contractors and cost the taxpayers even more money, especially under an administration that wants to increase federal spending.
If all the government employees who said they would quit if Trump were elected were people of their word and followed through, it would be a good start to slim the government. I doubt not a single one will because s/he probably isn't employable in the real world at even a third of their bloated, taxpayer funded salary.
I have been a federal employee for a short time. I have always agreed that "firing" reform needs to happen. There is one main reason that it is so difficult and that is because they had to offer some "protection" to the civil servant so that all wouldn't be swept out with each new administration. The civil service has to be a stable, objective, non-partisan workforce that is beyond the touch of political leanings. That said, the protections go WAY too far.
The next thing I would like to address is pensions. Just to put it out there: what do you consider is a generous pension? I don't feel like I have one but maybe I am off base so I'll put that out to you to see what you think. Again, I was private sector for 18 years before I moved over so I'm not blind to what a non-government employee experiences.
Great. This means workers in general, whether private or public, will have far less leverage and bargaining power. If you work for a private company, your employer can safely cut your benefits knowing you have no place better to potentially go. The rich get richer, and the workers suffer. Just like the GOP want it to be.
Next up, we must find out how to eliminate overtime pay for all workers and eliminate health and safety regulations on the workplace.
I have been a federal employee for a short time. I have always agreed that "firing" reform needs to happen. There is one main reason that it is so difficult and that is because they had to offer some "protection" to the civil servant so that all wouldn't be swept out with each new administration. The civil service has to be a stable, objective, non-partisan workforce that is beyond the touch of political leanings. That said, the protections go WAY too far.
The next thing I would like to address is pensions. Just to put it out there: what do you consider is a generous pension? I don't feel like I have one but maybe I am off base so I'll put that out to you to see what you think. Again, I was private sector for 18 years before I moved over so I'm not blind to what a non-government employee experiences.
I totally agree that protection from firing goes way too far. I'm not convinced of any necessity for reduced pensions, as I was under the impression that they're not excessively generous in the first place.
If they let me fire the non-performers who sit all day at their desk talking to their girlfriends while making $125,000 in taxpayer salaries, I'd come out of retirement to take my old job back!
Great. This means workers in general, whether private or public, will have far less leverage and bargaining power. If you work for a private company, your employer can safely cut your benefits knowing you have no place better to potentially go. The rich get richer, and the workers suffer. Just like the GOP want it to be.
Next up, we must find out how to eliminate overtime pay for all workers and eliminate health and safety regulations on the workplace.
Yep, it's the old "crabs in a barrel" mentality.
You can see upthread that we have "generous pensions" and "bloated salaries." Not sure why they think that of just regular people going to work doing a job. I mean, most of us in the DC area are barely able to make housing payments on our bloated salaries.
But PCALMike, you are correct, this is top-down suppression mentality that pans out well to the jealous and bitter. Rather than hope that some employees can do well which ultimately raises other up, we have to pull everyone down to some low level so we can feel better about our poor choices or crappy lives. When the government can't treat its employees well, no one else will either.
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