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Washington, D.C.—The leader of the nation’s largest independent union of federal employees today strongly applauded House approval of a continuing resolution (CR) with language providing an average 3.9 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees.

“This action sends the right message to the women and men of the federal workforce—namely, that their continuing contributions to the well-being of our nation are recognized and appreciated,” said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). The House-passed CR would fund government agencies at fiscal 2008 levels through March 6 and would provide federal employees with an average 3.9 percent pay increase beginning in January.

President Kelley expressed her appreciation to the House, and particularly to Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), for their efforts to include the pay language in the CR.

The Continuing Resolution also includes full fiscal 2009 Defense, Military Construction-VA and Homeland Security bills. The NTEU leader welcomed several important CR provisions dealing with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). One calls for 1,373 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers—an increase of 834 beyond those requested by the administration.

Another provides $200 million in funding for the CBP enhanced retirement benefit won by NTEU; the White House proposed to repeal that provision, which is vital to CBP’s recruitment and retention efforts. And a third provision would prohibit DHS from implementing a new personnel system. A significant part of the personnel regulations issue was the subject of three NTEU federal court victories.

As to federal pay, a civilian raise of 3.9 percent next year would be a full percentage point higher than the 2.9 percent proposed by the White House; further, it would continue the long tradition of parity in military and civilian pay increases.

As is its custom, NTEU has been aggressively pursuing a higher raise for federal employees than the administration wants. The union succeeded in getting the 3.9 percent level in both House and Senate versions of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bills.

“Fair and reasonable pay continues to be an issue on the minds of federal workers,” President Kelley said. “For a long time, fair pay has been one of the principal determining factors in the public-private competition for high-quality workers, and that is going to prove increasingly important in coming years.”

The measure needs to pass both Houses of Congress this week. If enacted into law, the raise will go into effect Jan. 1, 2009.

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