Industry News

"While lawmakers and the Obama administration continue to wrangle over how best to implement new federal pay-for-performance systems, some employee representatives say the salary structure already in place in most of government is sufficient for rewarding performance."

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"The pay gap between government workers and lower-compensated private employees is growing as public employees enjoy sizable benefit growth even in a distressed economy, federal figures show."

"Pay-for-performance, the personnel system President George W. Bush advanced in an effort to replace the traditional General Schedule wage scale, has come under tough scrutiny by federal employee unions and their allies on Capitol Hill."

"The recent surge in the Washington area's defense-contracting workforce would begin to ebb under Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates's latest budget proposal as the Pentagon moves to replace legions of private workers with full-time civil servants."

"Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday recommended major changes in the Pentagon's procurement priorities and acquisition practices, and said the department would scale back significantly the role of contractors in support services."

"The Senate early Friday morning confirmed Clinton administration veteran and former National Zoo head John Berry to be the next Office of Personnel Management director."

"Acknowledging the increasing demands on government agencies, Congress is moving quickly this week to introduce and advance a range of bills affecting parts of the federal workforce, including legislation on locality pay and collective bargaining rights."

"The Defense Department's National Security Personnel System -- President George W. Bush's signature personnel initiative -- was on the defensive yesterday as a House subcommittee examined its questionable future."