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COMMUNIQUÉ

The FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act raised the General Schedule across the board increase from 2.5 percent to a 3.5 percent for all executive branch employees.  When the Washington, D.C. locality pay is factored into the increase, most executive branch employees will receive an annual increase of 4.49 percent.  The Washington, D.C. locality across the board increase is the appropriate comparable for GAO employees because the GAO pay system uses the Washington D.C. locality as its baseline.

According to a 2005 OPM report, executive branch agencies historically have provided a 2 percent average annual increase for within-grade performance increases.  It is important to note that the General Schedule performance based increase is applied to each employee's actual salary, as compared to the GAO PBC which is applied to the competitive rate for each employee's pay band. Based on the 2008 congressionally mandated annual pay adjustment (4.49 percent for D.C.) and the historical within-grade increase (2.0 percent), the average, total raise for DC-based executive branch employees for 2008 would be 6.49 percent. 

Table 1: Comparison of GAO and Executive Branch Pay Adjustments & Performance Based Compensation, Fiscal Years 2006 - 2008

On January 11, the Interim Council sent a letter to GAO management urging that pay negotiations for bargaining unit staff should not delay PRG raises. In response, GAO management met with the five PDP representatives of the Interim Council and IFPTE legal representative Richard Bialczak on January 17 to discuss the request.

Regrettably, and despite intense efforts by PDP representatives of the Interim Council, GAO management has decided to delay PRG raises that would have started in pay period 1 for Band I staff in the Analysts and Specialists Professional Development Program (PDP) and the Communications Analyst Pay Process (CAPP) until the union and management come to an agreement on the 2008 annual adjustment. Other staff, such as APSS staff and Band III, will also be affected by this decision to delay.  According to GAO management, this delay, the same one seen in 2003, 2004, and 2007, is primarily due to complexities in GAO's pay system. It should be noted that a delay in these increases was inevitable, due the timing of appropriations. Nevertheless, management has agreed that all pay adjustments -- including PRG raises -- will be retroactively applied once an agreement between the union and management on the 2008 annual adjustment is made. Furthermore, the union has informed management of its intent to pursue a better solution in our larger-scale contract negotiations later this year.

According to GAO management, GAO's pay system creates many issues making retroactive payment a complicated and potentially costly process.  Specifically, the process for PDP PRG pay raises (and certain other APSS and Band III raises) is based on employee's current salary and pay category, and implementing PRG pay increases before agreement is reached on the 2008 pay adjustment would mean having to recalculate these pay increases manually after the 2008 pay adjustment is finalized. Pay adjustments and their relation to PRG raises are further complicated in that PRG raises could also affect an employee's pay category, team budgets (due to rotations), and adjustments to an employee's benefits (e.g., TSP allotments) and taxes.

Although the union is not at all pleased with this decision, Interim Council representatives have been advised by IFPTE legal counsel that trying to resolve this issue might lead to further delays in pay.

Management acknowledged they should have notified the union of this potential delay in pay for some members of the bargaining unit. Interim Council representatives are working diligently to ensure your pay is applied as quickly as possible through a timely resolution to current pay negotiations. Please contact your Interim Council representative if you have continuing concerns or comments.

Analysis of Mandated Employee Survey Responses is Underway

Seventy-one (71) percent of non-SES GAO employees responded to the GAO employee survey that was requested by Chairman Danny Davis of the House Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, Postal Service and the District of Columbia.  The survey, conducted between November 15 and December 14, 2007, was administered by the GAO Employee Advisory Council (EAC) to solicit GAO employees' views on the impact of personnel legislation on GAO operations.  Analyses of the responses are underway and the results will likely be made available in March or April, when it is expected that they will be included in testimony before the House Subcommittee related to new the Comptroller General's proposed Human Capital III: legislation (HR 3268: The Government Accountability Act of 2007).

The following individuals, all members of the GAO union's bargaining unit, were involved with the development and administration of the survey: Elizabeth (Betsy) Morris (DCM-Norfolk), Bev Ross (ARM), and Nellie Shamlin (PDP).

Union Contacts

If you have questions or comments, or need assistance from the union, please email your Interim Council representative (listed below).  You can also send questions and comments to ICquestions@gaoanalysts.org.