NTEU Supports Average 4.3 Percent Pay Raise, Standardized COLA

Two NTEU-endorsed bills, the FAIR Act and Equal COLA Act, were introduced last week.

The FAIR Act would provide an average 4.3 percent pay increase for federal employees next year. The Equal COLA Act would eliminate the disparity between cost-of-living increases for Civil Service Retirement System and Federal Employee Retirement System retirees when inflation is more than 2 percent.

“As part of our merit-based civil service, frontline federal employees are responsible for the nation’s security, protecting the public health and ensuring economic fairness and prosperity,” said National President Doreen Greenwald. “A fair pay raise in 2026 is a necessary investment to ensure skilled professionals continue to deliver government services.”