Largest Federal Employee Union Applauds Reintroduction of Pay Raise Bill

American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley today issued the following statement in response to the reintroduction of the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, which would provide federal employees with a 5.1% pay raise in 2023:

"Like all workers in this country, federal employees are experiencing higher costs for housing, food, medical insurance, and other basic necessities due to wages that have not kept pace with inflation. But unlike other employees, federal workers depend on Congress for their annual pay raises - and these adjustments in recent years have fallen short.

"Over the past decade, wages for federal employees have increased by little more than 1.6 percent a year. This is simply not enough to keep up with inflation or help agencies compete for talent with other employers in the private and public sectors.

"AFGE thanks Congressman Gerry Connolly and Senator Brian Schatz for reintroducing the FAIR Act, which would provide federal workers with a 5.1% pay raise in 2023. Without this increase, federal agencies will continue to have trouble recruiting and retaining a high-quality workforce, and those federal employees who are left will continue to fall further behind.

"Federal employees work hard every day to serve our veterans and active duty military, protect our skies and safeguard our communities, provide relief to victims of natural disasters, and ensure the safety of our food, air, and water. For the past two years, they have continued to serve the public amidst a global pandemic that has claimed the lives of nearly 850,000 Americans, including thousands of their coworkers.

"Passing this legislation will show federal workers how much they are valued and respected for the work they do, the hardships they have endured, and their steadfast commitment to the American people. We look forward to working with Congress to ensure passage of the FAIR Act this year."