December 8, 2014
By Stephanie West
Washington, DC – Through the efforts of the American Federation of Government Employee wages have been increased at Minot Air Force Base to compensate for a spike in living costs. AFGE is aggressively negotiating pay increases for all government workers.
The special rates request will result in pay increases ranging from 33 to 37 percent for employees at the North Dakota base who are paid through non-appropriated funds. AFGE is negotiating increases in many locations for blue-collar and white-collar employees who are paid from appropriated funds.
"While all government employees have been living on stagnant wages for the past few years thanks to pay freezes and furloughs due to sequestration, the workers at Minot Air Force Base have been hit especially hard," AFGE National President J. David Cox Sr. said.
"The shale oil boom across the Bakken region has led to extremely high living costs, making it difficult for employees to make ends meet on their pre-boom salaries. Private-sector employers have already responded to the market by raising their wages, but the federal government has lagged behind until now."
Cox said AFGE continues to fight for meaningful pay raises for all federal and D.C. government workers.
"This is the first chink in the armor of austerity and we will not stop fighting until all government employees get the real pay increase they deserve," he said.
