A Joint Budget Committee agrees to pension contribution increases from federal workers. This is probably a good time to let your Congressman know you are opposed. Votes in the full House and full Senate will be held soon.

Contact House of Representatives & Contact the Senate.

This morning on a conference call with WH staff the WH reiterated the possibility of a pension contribution increase for federal employees.  It is expected that an increase will be part of a budget conferees deal.  All the unions that represent federal employees are actively working against a pension contribution increase.  That said it is important that members of Congress hear directly from their constituents objecting to a pension contribution increase or any other pay impact.

The House will recess this coming Friday.  However, the budget conferees will continue meeting.

Leaders and District Members,

As you may have heard federal employees are once again being used to resolve budget issues.  The Budget Committee Conferees are discussing a budget resolution and as part of that resolution there are discussions occurring about raising pension contributions for federal employees.  In essence this contribution increase would be a pay cut for the current pay employees receive.

As you will see in this letter to the conferees leadership from Representative Wolf of Virginia, federal employees have already sacrificed 113 billion towards reducing the budget deficit.  Despite this federal employees continue to be the source legislators go to for budget deficit resolutions.

Our members need to get a simple message to their House and Senate representatives.  “Stop attacking the federal workforce.”  The federal workforce has already sacrificed more than other groups and it is unfair to continue to target  dedicated public servants.

Key contacts regarding the issue are Chairman Ryan, Chairwoman Murray, Ranking Member Van Hollen, and Ranking Member Sessions.  If these members are in your State or Congressional District their office should be contacted as soon as possible.

Other Locals should contact their Senate and House members and ask that they contact the Budget conferees and ask them to support the federal workforce and stop the attack.  Members can get contact info at http://www.contactingthecongress.org/.

We regret to anounce the passing of Brother Chester Lanehart. Chester served as the President of Local F-297, Andrews AFB, from May, 2000 to March, 2013. He was the prime litigant of the Lanehart v. Horner law suit (1987) which established some of the overtime provisions that federal fire fighters currently enjoy.  Chester was always on the lookout for his Local's members and Federal IAFF members in general. Our condolences go out to his wife Winifred, his family and the members of Local F-297 for their loss.

Funeral arrangement details can be found here.