Cole, Cartwright Introduce Support the Wage Grade Employee Parity Act

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Cole introduced the Wage Grade Employee Parity Act (H.R. 3573) along with Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-17). This year, the president was able to provide a 1 percent Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for General Schedule (GS), or salaried, federal employees. However, he does not have the statutory authority to provide the same COLA to all federal workers. Beginning January 1, 2014, Wage Grade (WG) employees' wages will stay the same or even decrease thus creating a disparity between the wages of WG and GS employees. General Schedule and Wage Grade pay increases have been limited to the same amount in the same geographic area since FY 1979.

"We depend greatly on federal employees who work for hourly wages," said Congressman Cole. "As of October 31st , there were more than 174,000 hourly workers In the Defense Department alone and 7,634 in Oklahoma, most of which work at Tinker Air Force Base in Midwest City and the U.S. Army Ammunitions Plant in McAlester. The Department of Veterans Affairs and Bureau of Prisons are also impacted.. Due to furloughs caused first by sequestration and more recently by the government shutdown, these dedicated employees have suffered a great deal. I am pleased that this legislation recognizes the important support hourly workers provide, like salaried, and compensates them for lost pay."

"The inconsistency in wages between WG and GS employees is inequitable. It hurts a group of Americans that can least afford a fourth year with no increase at all," said Congressman Cartwright. "For this reason, I am proud to introduce this legislation which will benefit a group that has been particularly impacted by furloughs and the government shutdown."

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Contact:
Sarah Corley (Cole)
Shane Seaver (Cartwright)