The base salaries dont tell the whole story. My GS-12 (effective 9/1/10)base is around $80K, but the overtime adds a minimum of $10k to a max of $35K. Minimum because there is much forced overtime. And every minute over 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week is double time, not time and a half. Plus, vacation and sick leave count toward the 8 hour and 40 hour threshold. eg, call in sick all week, work the weekend and get paid double time for all weekend hours.
Last year retirement was increased by 70% – from 1 percent per year to 1.7 percent per year. And also includes an employer contribution to a savings plan, and full access to social security.
The GS salary schedules have crept up by about $17,000/year since 2004. This is on top of cost of living and regular step increases. As a GS-9 the pay was about right for the job. But somehow the GS-9 journeyman has given way to a GS-12 journeyman with double the retirement.
As a tax payer, I see a troubling trend. The pay is why out of line with the required high school graduate skill set.