Congress is contemplating a rather large pay increase for federal employees, but most Americans say government workers are already better off than employees in the private sector.
That's according to Rasmussen Reports. It found that 45% of American adults say they believe the average government worker earns more annually than the average private sector worker.
This number is almost identical to last September’s survey, but the number has ranged as high as 58% in surveys dating back to 2010.
Twenty-eight percent (28%) say they do not believe government employees are paid more than private sector workers, and another 27% say they are not sure.
Meanwhile, President Biden has called for federal workers to receive their largest annual pay raise in 20 years, releasing a budget proposal that would grant civilian employees an average pay increase of 4.6%.
This figure is nearly double the 2.7% average pay increase federal employees received in 2022, and a substantial improvement over the 1.0% across-the-board pay increase they got in 2021.
However, a majority of Americans (57%) say they think workers in the private sector work harder than government employees.
Only 13% say they think government employees work harder, while another 30% are not sure.
Sixty-one percent (61%) of Americans say they think government workers have more job security than workers in the private sector.
Ten percent (10%) say they believe government workers have less job security, and 18% think private sector workers have about the same amount of job security.
Another 10% say they are not sure.
To see survey question wording, click here.
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Think you could pick a worse time to give government workers a raise?
I’ll take a raise. Who wouldn’t? We all don’t work in DC. Some of us actually maintain weapons systems, aircraft and other stuff . Some of us also test the new stuff that usually doesn’t work as advertised from the “Private Sector” that cost too much.
Folks there are quite a few useless government employees, trust me. Please don’t make the mistake of lumping us all together though. Just sayin.
No, in fact govt workers including legislative and judicial staff should have wages frozen until inflation and the govt deficit is under control. In addition cut a minimum of 10% in staff through attrition.
No government employee should get a raise, especially the politician's in congress that are supposed to work for us. They should get zero for all the destruction they have done to the economy, actually they should pay us all reparation's.