WASHINGTON — After months of delays, wage grade defense workers across Virginia are finally set to receive their 2024 pay raises.
The employees work in hands-on roles at installations such as Naval Station Norfolk, Fort Belvoir and Joint Base Langley Eustis. They include aircraft mechanics, electronics technicians, tank and equipment repair teams, and other skilled workers who keep military operations running.
Jacqueline Simon, public policy director for the American Federation of Government Employees, the union representing most federal wage grade workers, explained how the freeze pushed back every scheduled raise this year.
She added the wage grade system depends on updated local labor market data before increases can be issued. When the required committee could not meet, scheduled adjustments simply stopped moving forward. Simon stressed the union and several lawmakers pressed for action as workers waited for clarity on when the process would resume.
She noted the union regularly helps workers address concerns on the job and many inquiries felt sharper during the months when pay adjustments were on hold. She reported employees reached out with questions about overtime demands, communication inside their shops and how to manage day-to-day expectations while waiting for the committee to meet again.
“You’ve got poor management. You’ve got issues having to do with excessive overtime, favoritism, safety and health issues at the workplace,” Simon outlined. “All of those kinds of issues, we address.”
Since the committee has finally approved new wage schedules, agencies are updating payroll systems and preparing retroactive payments.
