Since DoD has put a stop to all advisory committees, including the DoD wage committee, 87,000 FWS workers have not yet gotten their 2025 pay raise because the DoD wage committee has to meet to approve the new schedules.  There was a question about whether this freeze on the DoD wage committee would affect the wage schedules’ new boundaries because even though the survey areas won’t have changed yet, the affected areas will and that could be interpreted as a change that needed Wage Committee approval.  But I think I have relatively good news:

DoD and OPM have agreed that it is not necessary for the FPRAC to meet or for the DoD wage committee to meet in order to move people from one schedule to another in October.  So, for example, even though the Birmingham wage schedule hasn’t been adjusted for 2025, FWS workers in Anniston will still move to the Birmingham wage schedule on October 1.  When the 2% raise for 2025 is eventually applied to the Birmingham schedule, then everyone there will get the new wages – the people who were there since March, 2025 will get the raise retroactive to March, and the previously Anniston people will get the 2025 Birmingham raise retroactive to October 1.

All this goes for Tobyhanna and New York as well, since New York also has not gotten its 2025 raise yet.  It was also due in March and is also being delayed by Hegseth’s “pause” in allowing advisory committees to meet.

I will keep you all informed as I get any updated information.

Ned George

President 

Afge Local 1647