September 2nd, 2016 by WCBC Radio

U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) called President Obama’s order this week of a one percent pay raise for federal employees a “meager recognition” of the hard work and dedication of these hard working public servants.

 

“We cannot attract and maintain highly qualified personnel by continuing to undervalue the men and women who keep our borders secure, our food and water safe, care for our veterans and the elderly, teach our children, and search for cures to crippling diseases. A third year of a one-percent pay raise is far below what is warranted based on the hard work and expertise, dedication and sacrifices of our federal workers,” said Senator Cardin.  “Time after time our public servants, who work daily on behalf of the American public nationwide, have been asked to do more with less resources. They have repeatedly been asked to carry extraordinary burdens, including cuts and freezes, while contributing far more than their share of deficit reduction.  It isn’t fair and it isn’t the way America should be treating its people.”

 

Senator Cardin is a sponsor of the FAIR Act, which provides fair pay for hard work being done in Maryland and nationwide on behalf of the American people. The bill would provide federal employees with a 5.3 percent pay increase in 2017. The bill is a response to federal employees having lost more than a billion dollars in wages due to sequestration and a three-year freeze on federal pay. During the same period, private industry wages increased 10.6 percent on average.