WASHINGTON — More than half of Americans say they think federal workers are overpaid for the work they do, and more than a third think those workers are less qualified than those in the private sector, according to a Washington Post poll.
Half also say the men and women who keep the government running do not work as hard as employees at private companies.
The critical views of federal workers — just one in seven of whom works in the Washington area — echo the anti-Washington sentiment roiling the midterm elections, as some Americans lose confidence in their government to solve the country’s problems.
Still, of those who have interacted with a federal-agency employee, three in four report that the experience was positive. In addition, the survey revealed a generation gap, with younger Americans more likely to give federal employees positive reviews.
The strong sentiments give ammunition to both defenders and critics of the country’s 1.9 million-member federal workforce.
In the new Post survey, 52 percent of Americans think federal workers are paid too much, a view held by nearly six in 10 Republicans and about seven in 10 conservatives. Far fewer Democrats, independents, liberals and moderates hold this opinion. Overall, one in 10 of those polled say federal workers should be better compensated.
Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., the House minority whip, said his party’s negative views of the workforce are rooted in the recession.
“Folks in the private sector feel that they are on the receiving end of a very tough economy . . . and their view is that federal employees enjoy job security irrespective of the recession,” he said.
The Sept. 30-to-Oct. 3 phone poll of 1,002 adults has a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
