Issues
Federal Employees:
Unfortunately government workers at all levels have become a convenient scapegoat for the budget ills facing our nation. Much like government workers in States like New Jersey and Wisconsin, federal workers at the national level are also under attack. Throughout 2011, and now into 2012, the 112th Congress has resulted in countless bills, and other legislative efforts in for form of amendment, aimed directly at federal government workers. Even President Obama himself has targeted federal worker compensation as a part of this Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) budget proposal.
Proposals ranging from five year federal pay freeze, cuts to the federal workforce by 15%, eliminating official time to deprive union officers of the ability to properly represent their members, federal pension cuts, and drastic cuts to spending on government services are very much on the table in 2012. This all on the heels of two year pay freeze for federal workers. While IFPTE fully understands that our nation faces tough budgetary decisions moving forward, we believe that attacking middle income workers, who have are not the cause of our deficit, is ill-advised. Furthermore, IFPTE believes that cuts to federal agencies and the essential services they provide to US taxpayers need to be enacted in a thoughtful and balanced way.