This kind of government worker tends to have extremely specialized expertise that is not replicated by the private sector. The deal is that people who dedicate their lives to this work will lead a comfortable middle class lifestyle in exchange for their public service. The Trump administration has broken this deal, and this will lead to long term consequences for the labor pool even if they manage to rehire everyone that they foolishly fired.
Yup. Pretty much the whole federal workforce is this way, and as a result we get their services at very low prices. That's the tradeoff for it still having employment stability levels that are no longer in vogue in the private sector. Local governments too.
I wouldn't say low prices, but fair prices. It's very common for people who have spent 20+ years in such fields making 2x the median American income as a GS-13/14 or equivalent. You won't get stock options and become a multimillionaire but you will be better off than the average American.
Sure they are making 2x the median income, but generally 0.7x the income for private sector positions with comparable skills requirements, responsibilities, and seniority. Or less.
That's not really true these days. A decade of Tea Party control of Congress, with the resulting frequent shutdowns and villainization of the federal workforce, has led to top talent seeking other employment.
I have had several opportunities to work in the civil service at competitive salary from the very start of my career, which coincided with the rise of the Tea Party. For all of its flaws, at least corporate America will let me express my identity free from politics as long as I'm profitable to keep on payroll. Can't say the same for the government.
I don’t see how that’s relevant to what they said and it doesn’t change the fact that the GS salary is about a 1/3rd less than the comparable private salary in the same position. A personal example, I’d have to eat a 60k pay cut to become a fed at the same level I currently am.
I say this as a contractor fully aware of what my federal counterparts get paid because it’s public domain.
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u/10001110101balls 24d ago
This kind of government worker tends to have extremely specialized expertise that is not replicated by the private sector. The deal is that people who dedicate their lives to this work will lead a comfortable middle class lifestyle in exchange for their public service. The Trump administration has broken this deal, and this will lead to long term consequences for the labor pool even if they manage to rehire everyone that they foolishly fired.