From theysaid 8/27/10

Proposed Salary incentive for GS 5-9 discussion:

Noname fire you said:

“What you heard is correct. However consider this. Pulling GS-9's into the equation may be the pill that kills this. Recruitment and retention at the 9 level is not an issue. That will skew the numbers and be detrimental to the current retention pay in R5”

Okay I understand that adding the GS-9’s to the equitation will alter the stats, but lets’ look at the unintended consequences here for a second by eliminating GS-9s from the equation. 

·         Current Pay Scale for folk working in the Rest of the US pay Scale

10% Bonus - SALARY TABLE 2010-RUS
Grade B/O Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
8 B 20.58 21.27 21.96 22.64 23.33 24.01 24.7 25.39 26.07 26.76
O 30.87 31.91 32.94 33.96 35 36.02 37.05 37.56 37.56 37.56
Base 80  $1,646.40  $1,701.60  $1,756.80  $1,811.20  $1,866.40  $1,920.80  $1,976.00  $2,031.20  $2,085.60  $   2,140.80
Base 80 w/ 10%  $1,811.04  $1,871.76  $1,932.48  $1,992.32  $2,053.04  $2,112.88  $2,173.60  $2,234.32  $2,294.16  $   2,354.88
9 B 22.74 23.49 24.25 25.01 25.77 26.52 27.28 28.04 28.8 29.55
O 34.11 35.24 36.38 37.52 37.56 37.56 37.56 37.56 37.56 37.56
Base 80  $1,819.20  $1,879.20  $1,940.00  $2,000.80  $2,061.60  $2,121.60  $2,182.40  $2,243.20  $2,304.00  $   2,364.00

·         In the current system, if I am a GS-8 Step 7 and take a new job or a detail as a GS-9 I would become a GS-9 Step 6.  Therefore, I will be making $52.00 less a pay period for a base 80 paycheck.  That would be a total of $1352.00 per year more if there is no Overtime, or Hazard Pay.

·         Proposed for all of Region 5, to use the Los Angeles Pay Rate plus 10% but limiting it to GS-5 thru GS-8. 

Proposed by using the LA Pay Scale

Grade

B/O Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10
8 B 22.93 23.69 24.46 25.22 25.98 26.75 27.51 28.28 29.04 29.8
O 34.4 35.54 36.69 37.83 38.97 40.13 41.27 41.84 41.84 41.84
Base 80  $1,834.40  $1,895.20  $1,956.80  $2,017.60  $2,078.40  $2,140.00  $2,200.80  $2,262.40  $2,323.20  $   2,384.00
Base 80 w/ 10%  $2,017.84  $2,084.72  $2,152.48  $2,219.36  $2,286.24  $2,354.00  $2,420.88  $2,488.64  $2,555.52  $   2,622.40
9 B 22.74 23.49 24.25 25.01 25.77 26.52 27.28 28.04 28.8 29.55
O 34.11 35.24 36.38 37.52 37.56 37.56 37.56 37.56 37.56 37.56
Base 80  $1,819.20  $1,879.20  $1,940.00  $2,000.80  $2,061.60  $2,121.60  $2,182.40  $2,243.20  $2,304.00  $   2,364.00
 

·        By not including the GS-9's and if you were on a forest that was LOCALITY PAY AREA OF REST OF U.S, the GS-8 captain will be in the LA Pay rate and make more and hour before the 10% than his/her boss.  Is someone trying to create inequality here?

I think the R-5 BOD should oppose this for the fact that it is not an across-the-board pay rate for all of fire in Region 5.  That should include the temporary GS-embryo to Director of Fire and Aviation, Joe Millar.  If you are in a Primary or Secondary fire position, you should be getting the special Pay rate.  Anything less is unacceptable. 

Maybe I am from the mold of not accepting halfa$$ work, but I would not settle for this if I had a vote.   There are other options out there, and I am saddened that they did not bring a group of firefighters together for their opinion.  How about using the Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) 2010 General Schedule Locality Pay Tables (http://www.opm.gov/oca/10tables/indexLEO.asp) What, we can use their retirement system, but not their pay?

Thinking Outside the Box