It’s a valid question and would lead to even worse retention if the operators were left out. In 2021 the WG-10 operators were omitted from the “bonus” pay while our AFMO’s received the payment. Also the last Grassroots meeting stated we would be left out of the new wildland fire series and that working on pay with the Federal Wage System and DOD has been challenging.
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Can the forest service dozer operators confirm the current PD they use is a 6c firefighter retirement PD?
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I can confirm FS 2026 position description is 6C retirement.
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Yep, 6c Fire retirement.
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Are the forest service fire dozer operators in those 6c PDs getting the BIL extra payment each pay period?
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Yes, the operators are getting the BIL payments.
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Thanks and to confirm the fire dozer operators are hearing they will not be part of the new firefighter PD’s and not part of the new firefighter pay scale that is coming out soon?
On 1/30/23 there was a R6/R10 FAM update on firefighter pay and series. I wish I could find a recording of the meeting to reference, however I do not believe there is one available. In that meeting someone (I do not recall their name or position title) stated that the WG-5716 Equipment Operators will not be brought into the new 0456 Wildland Firefighter series due to difficulties of the conversion dealing with the Federal Wage System and DOD. Also dispatchers were another series that they were uncertain of their conversion to the new series and were working on their PD’s.
In that meeting they did state that reclassification and pay are not directly connected, however my fear is that if migration to the new series is done for all 6c employees, but Equipment Operators are left out of the migration we could lose out on pay as well. They did acknowledge they are aware of the situation, however did not have a solution at that time.
This meeting was one month ago so I apologize if any information is false or unable to be confirmed but these were my takeaways.
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I also asked about this in one of the Grassroots Wildland firefighter meetings and I believe it was Riva Duncan who told me that OPM states that the WGs are classified correctly.
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Not quite related. But something WE as a NFFE Local 1650 are pushing.
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The real question is what management is going to do? What it takes to be a leader?
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Hrryup, what do you know about the soon to be released new pay table for firefighters and if our dozer operators will be included in the pay table?
I haven’t heard anything about a new pay table. But I know we proposed a career ladder for all the new PDs. So a Engineer would be a GS7/8 and Captain would be a gs8/9. There is a survey going around that folks need to fill out. There is also a 3rd party surveying focus groups virtually and in person. If you’re invited. Share your thoughts and don’t hold back.
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Wish I had a answer for you on the Dozer Bros.
I think the pay table will be applied to those in firefighter retirement positions, however I can’t confirm. Also think the new pay scale project will be completed before the PDs project. That could be good news. If we hear anything we will pass along.
Who is the guy from the R5 who was assigned to lead all this for the WO? Has anyone checked with him?
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Big update!
What’s coming up this week? Budget Release, CR Likelihood and a hearing.
This is a big week for federal wildland firefighters. We are being told that the presidential budget is going to be released Wednesday or Thursday. It is unclear if the Salaries and Expenses budget will just be a higher number or if there will also be a description of the higher number. The higher number should be due to a new pay table. We don’t know the details of the new pay table, but hopefully it makes the workforce more equitable.
USFS Budget page here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/about-agency/budget-performance
Check out the FY’23 budget document and read the bottom of pg. 224 and 225 where they discuss wildland firefighter issues. Interesting stuff: https://www.fs.usda.gov/sites/default/files/2022-03/FS-FY23-Congressional-Budget-Justification.pdf
Under the BIL pay raises, a GS12 got a higher raise than a GS3, which I think is wrong, but I’m not sure about the details at this point. We should be getting a briefing from the USFS/DOI and will be able to report out later this week.
Other notes: we are expecting the government to be running on continuing resolutions (CRs) for the entirety of this congress, so FY’24 and FY’25, which means the budget will be flat from FY’23 on. I personally don’t think this should matter for the new pay table, because congress does not determine pay rates, the executive branch does that. For example, when the IRS got more funding, they didn’t give themselves a raise, they added employees. Same thing here, we should move forward with a pay raise and if the funding isn’t there then move funds around and do a hiring freeze. Simple.
What makes this hearing stand out to me is that it isn’t a budget justification hearing, it’s a senate budget committee that does not typically have oversight hearings on wildfire issues. So we’re interested to see where this one goes.
https://www.congress.gov/event/118th-congress/senate-event/333742?loclr=cga-committee-schedule
edit: better hearing link: https://www.budget.senate.gov/hearings/a-burning-issue-the-economic-costs-of-wildfires
Big week!!
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RE: BIL pay raises. The extra pay is a “retention allowance” and the back pay came in the form of cash awards. no ones hourly pay or base pay changed. You either got an extra 50% of your base pay, or $20,000, which ever was less, with the line being about a GS6. Don’t get me wrong, the extra money has been nice. But I’d love to have that actually increase my base pay, which has huge implications on retirement.
THanks for the work on this and very interested to hear about updates!
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Biden to propose 5.2 percent federal pay increase, largest in 43 years
“House Republicans are likely to oppose an increase of that size, as the conservative majority has pledged to reduce federal spending and to better hold the federal workforce accountable for what they have criticized as poor customer service at some agencies.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/03/08/federal-pay-boost-biden-budget-2023/
Readable link (not sure how long it will last)
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From 2024 presidential budget proposal.
Pg. 32 & 92: Strengthens the Nation’s Frontline Defenses against Catastrophic Wildfires and Provides Long-Term Investments in the Wildland Firefighting Workforce. As both the frequency and intensity of catastrophic wildfires are expected to increase due to climate change, the Budget provides for critical mitigation and response efforts and invests in America’s Federal wildland firefighting workforce. The Budget invests in the Federal wildland firefighting workforce by ensuring that no Federal wildland firefighter makes less than $15 an hour and by creating a new comprehensive and equitable compensation structure. In addition, the Budget increases the size of the workforce and supports additional mental and physical health services for the workforce. Together, these efforts would help address long-standing recruitment and retention challenges, build upon the historic reforms in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, and ensure that the workforce receives the enhanced support it needs to continue meeting evolving mission demands. The Budget provides the USDA $323 million to support ongoing implementation of the 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy to increase the scale of fuel and restoration treatments within highrisk “firesheds” as part of the Administration’s comprehensive, nationwide response to the threat of catastrophic wildfire to natural resources, communities, and infrastructure. The Budget also provides $314 million for DOl to help reduce the risk and severity of wildfires through fuels management and restore lands devastated by catastrophic fire.
Pg. 55 Invests in the Wildland Firefighting Workforce.
The Budget ensures that no Federal firefighter would make less than $15 an hour and invests in the wildland firefighting workforce at USDA and the Department of the Interior (DOI) through a new comprehensive and equitable compensation structure. The Budget also increases the size of the workforce at USDA and DOl and supports additional mental and physical health services for that workforce. Together, these efforts would help address long-standing recruitment and retention challenges.
These investments, totaling $316 million over the 2023 enacted level, would build on the historic reforms in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and ensure that the Forest Service receives the support it needs to continue meeting evolving mission demands, as both the frequency and intensity of catastrophic wildfires are expected to continue to increase due to climate change.
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More on the President’s budget.
“Funding to create a new premium pay category for “all” federal incident responders with additional compensation for “all” hours they’re mobilized on an incident”
“Funding to establish a new base rate salary table for all federal wildland firefighters”
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