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Washington, D.C. —As a follow-up to her letter to House members yesterday urging rejection of a fiscal 2012 budget advanced by the chairman of the House Budget Committee, the leader of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) joined with a coalition of other federal employee groups calling for a vote against H. Con. Res. 34.

A letter to House members from the Federal-Postal Coalition underscores the criticisms of the proposed budget put forward by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) by NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley in her Tuesday letter. The Ryan proposal would seriously penalize federal workers for an economic situation not of their making.

“I am pleased to join with this coalition in opposing this approach to the 2012 budget,” President Kelley said. “NTEU is ready to stand with all those who understand and oppose the detrimental impact that this proposal would have on the federal workforce.”

The resolution contains language that would freeze federal pay for five years; cut the federal workforce by 10 percent; and require employees to increase their contributions to their pensions, which would result in an equivalent 6 percent pay cut. The House is expected to vote on the Ryan budget resolution this week.

These proposals “are unfair and unreasonable, even in the current budget atmosphere,” the coalition letter said. “Freezing or cutting pay sends the wrong signal to the federal employees whose jobs are to protect us and drive America’s progress,” they wrote. “To the contrary, we need to preserve policies that attract and retain the best American workers.”

The coalition of union, management and advocacy groups pointed out in its letter that in 1989, there was one federal employee for every 110 residents in the United States. Little more than 20 years later, the letter says, there is one federal employee for every 147. “The size of the workforce remained remarkably consistent, and yet, the demands upon government have increased dramatically.”

The coalition added: “More than anyone, our federal employees understand the constraints of the U.S. budget, and they are already doing their part to lower government costs. But Chairman Ryan’s plan to cut pay and entitlements by $375 billion over 10 years goes too far and is not an acceptable solution. Even in these tough economic times, America cannot afford a second-tier government, and we must not forfeit our protections.”

Interestingly, the vote on the Ryan budget proposal will occur not long after the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee approved today a bipartisan sense-of-the-Senate resolution commending federal employees for their dedication and continued service to the country.

The resolution takes note of the upcoming May 1-7 observance of Public Service Recognition Week, and declares among other positive statements about government, that those in public service contribute significantly to the greatness and prosperity of the nation.

“I commend the Senate Homeland Security Committee for its recognition of federal employees and all they do for our country. It is a position I will continue to take to members of the House,” President Kelley said.

NTEU is the largest independent federal union, representing 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.