7/10/07: A Senate Appropriations Subcommittee today approved a 3.5 percent pay raise in 2008 for federal civilian employees in its final markup of the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations bill.

NTEU has been strongly supporting a minimum 3.5 percent boost, citing the importance of fair pay to recruiting and retaining quality federal employees. NTEU President Colleen Kelley noted that the vote "is welcome recognition in Congress of the importance of a fair pay raise to the ability of federal agencies to recruit and retain the high-quality employees they need and depend upon."

This figure – approved last month in the House appropriations bill – is higher than the 3 percent requested by the president and matches the military raise approved by the House. The Bush administration recently issued a policy statement opposing the higher raise, asserting that it exceeds the average increase in private sector pay measured by the Employment Cost Index.

The full committee expected to take up the legislation Thursday.