That would be the goal.
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Not Enough!
Let me make sure I am reading this correctly. You reserve the ability to lower the steps and pay, if Congress approves the Presidents pay raise for federal employees in 2022? So you don’t want to afford them the benefit of a pay raise? All this talk about paying firefighters appropriately must really be tough on you ivory tower types.
If DOI really wants a significant onslaught of push back on all this in advance of the 2022 mid-terms, we can make that happen.
You reserve the ability? Absolutely Clueless.
Not Enough!
November 19, 2021
Memorandum
To: Director, Bureau of Indian Affairs Director, Bureau of Land Management Director, Fish and Wildlife Service Director, National Park Service
From: Director, Office of Human Capital Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer
Subject: Wildland Firefighters Minimum $15 Per Hour
On June 30, 2021 the White House established a commitment that no Federal Wildland firefighter would make less than $15 an hour. President Biden recognized the need to improve Federal firefighter compensation with pay and retention incentives including a more livable wage.
In September 2021, the DOI provided retention and monetary incentives to approximately 3,500 firefighters (permanent and temporary). These incentives provided temporary relief through the end of the calendar year to cover the gap for those earning less than $15 per hour.
Wildland firefighting in today’s environment demands increasingly sophisticated skill sets during the arduous fire year. The DOI is committed to major investments in the Wildland Fire Management (WFM) program. Work has already begun to expand and modernize key components of the program, from expanding the workforce, addressing pay, compensation, classification, to aviation and other firefighting equipment, to facilities and infrastructure. The highest priority and most urgent needs is our workforce. Substantial change and reform will likely be an iterative process. Some reforms will occur relatively quickly while others will take more time to thoughtfully improve the outcomes.
This memorandum establishes a minimum pay threshold for DOI firefighters to make $15 per hour or more as part of the initial steps for the workforce. The new pay scale implementation direction represents the absolute minimum pay certain employees would receive at grades GS-02, GS-03, and GS-04. Bureaus and hiring officials are urged to evaluate the appropriate requisite qualifications and experience needed for a position and onboard firefighters at the appropriate commensurate grade level.
The following scales are for initial hiring actions as well as adjustments for existing employees for positions within the Wildland Fire Management organization(s):
• Use a Rest of United States (RUS) pay scale to standardize pay setting for all GS-02, GS-03, and GS-04 new hires as follows:
o GS-02 – utilize the Step 9 of RUS pay scale (2021) to establish $15.12 per hour
o GS-03 – utilize the Step 5 of RUS pay scale (2021) to establish $15.25 per hour
o GS-04 – utilize the Step 2 of RUS pay scale (2021) to establish $15.61 per hour
o Locality Pay Area adjustment, based on duty location, will be added to the salary pay scale where applicable.
• Establish a one-time pay adjustment for existing permanent GS-03 and GS-04 after the cost-of-living increase is established in January 2022 to avoid disparate pay:
o Utilize the Step 5 of RUS pay scale (2021) to establish $15.25 per hour
o Utilize the Step 2 of RUS pay scale (2021) to establish $15.61 per hour.
• Eliminate hiring of all GS-01s for firefighting positions due to the inability to appropriately compensate (RUS pay scale (2021) maxes out at $13.72).
Due to the FY22 Continuing Resolution, the cost-of-living adjustment and salary tables for calendar year 2022 have not been released. DOI reserves the ability to adjust the pay setting step based on the dollars per hour for grades to maintain the $15 per hour rate. In some cases, this could mean a lower step due to the anticipated 2.9% cost-of-living increase.
All questions regarding this memorandum can be directed to the Office of Human Capital.
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More and more will leave…
#notenough
#TimHartAct
Hey DOI, Congress and POTUS just sent you a new law. 20k or 50% increase in pay, retroactive. Get to work. Can somebody wake up OWF? Stop sending out letters about what rights you may reserve and follow the dam law.
All the GS-13s, 14s, 15s and SESs don’t forget where you came from.
We are watching.
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The USFS just sent out an identical letter to leadership. Almost verbatim
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While I have refrained from posting since being kicked off for 3 months, July to September for a negative comment at the wrong agency. I decided to never contribute to this forum in any way again as it is clearly agenda driven to protect certain agency(s) at all costs.
But I have been following this and I am beyond crushed that this is the “pay equity” they promised. This must not stand. We ask more and more of the folks out on the line and seem to give them less and less. With inflation a 6.2%, pray this lowers soon, this increase will be eaten up by inflation before the 2022 season gets underway.
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Thanks Northbay. They have no choice but to implement 50% raises for our entry level types and 20k for most other higher ranks. It will happen. The language in the letter just didn’t sit well.
We all need to watch what the bureaucrats do, watch HR and watch non fire leadership.
Watch them all.
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Any word on when said 50% or 20K pay raise is to go into effect?
That’s a good question for @SecDebHaaland and @SecVilsac
One thing is clear, they owe our firefighters a pay raise and it should be the top priority.
Some Feds have put the brakes on a career change. They deserve answers. Now.
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As long as the Union’s keep endorsing the same parties candidates who promise them everything and deliver them nothing, it will not change. It’s time to support the candidates that will get it done, not just lip service! One party automatically assumes they have the Fire Service’s endorsement’s because it’s always been that way. Time to make them earn that endorsement! We have a strong voice and endorsement in the Fire service so it’s time to utilize it for the greatest benefits for Firefighter’s. We’ve watched what has happened to our Public Safety Brother’s and Sister’s in Law Enforcement as they have completely been decimated and desecrated upon. I’ll
leave it at that! Cheer’s and Happy Holidays!
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The recent legislation that was passed that granted the Forest Service and other Public Safety Federal brothers and sisters 20k or 50% increase in pay, retroactive was passed by 97% of one party and 6% of another party. I agree that the unions need to concentrate their efforts on electing more representatives that support their position and thus earn their endorsement. Now that it is passed it is incumbent upon everybody to continue to put pressure on their representatives of either party (whether they voted for it or not) to make sure the bureaucracy implements it so it reflects congresses intentions. I’ll leave it at that. Merry Christmas to all.
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I agree, unions and those they represent need to concentrate efforts on electing more representatives that support Firefighters and since bargaining in the federal wildland fire service is non-existent for important issues like pay and benefits, this is especially important. Vote.
Historic progress was made in 2021, let’s keep it up.
November 8, 2022 is approaching.
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It didn’t go far enough! It was a lip service, C.Y.A., measure by one party that they were pressured to do because of the dramatic fire season and the spotlight put on the U.S.F.S. It in no way fixed the major issues but was a appeaement strategy. As a recovering former elected official this is the M.O. when it comes to Public Safety. It’s become very clear, this certain party despises Public Safety, but has to put up a front to not lose its entire base. I wish the U.S.F.S. good luck in actually fixing what it needs to be competitive and a place that imports firefighters and not exports them to other agencies.
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Updates coming from Grassroots today at 1700 PST, on zoom.
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I do disagree with some of your post truck. However I do understand your frustration with elected officials. I’ve always been a term limit type.
The current administration and many elected officials have been focused on Wildland Firefighters prior to the start of fire season.
The 20% raises which was included in the infra bill was about as bipartisan as you can get these days in the Senate. Nineteen of the 50 Repubs were onboard and all 50 Dems voted yes. The senate committee vote to send it to the senate floor was even more bipartisan.
It’s not clear to me either party “despises” public safety, so I would disagree with that. But I do appreciate your perspective.
Thanks for fighting with us.
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Here’s the video from last nights monthly update from Grassroots Widlland firefighters
Monthly Updates
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Milehighbar, do you know what the salary would be for say an engine Captain if everything passes and gets implemented? Just curious as to where that would be in comparison to others. Thanks and hoping it passes for all of you that would be affected.
Under Los Angeles Locality pay, which is one of the highest, a GS-8 Step 1 makes $55,245 (Lowest Step Captain). So add 20k…but, as mentioned in the monthly Grassroots update everyone will be moved to a new salary table under new wildland FF classification so that salary number will change. Lots of variables.
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