Labor On The Move: Two AFGE Officials Named to Federal Salary Council

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

President Obama has named two American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) representatives to the Federal Salary Council, which advises the White House and executive branch on federal pay issues. J. David Cox (r), national secretary-treasurer, and Jacqueline Simon, public policy director, will represent AFGE on the nine-person panel. AFGE is the only employee organization to have two members on the council, reflecting AFGE’s unique role as the largest federal employee union. The Federal Salary Council provides the executive branch with recommendations on the locality pay program that was created in 1990 to help close the pay gap between federal and private-sector employees. “AFGE is proud to have two members on the Federal Salary Council representing the interests of federal employees,” AFGE National President John Gage said. “Federal workers earn far less on average than their private sector counterparts – 24 percent less, according to the latest government data. The effort to close this pay gap is critically important if federal agencies expect to attract and retain the best and brightest employees that this country has to offer.”