And now—back by popular demand—it’s pay for performance

Pay for performance is the zombie of pay systems. Just when it seems to be dead, it’s up and walking around again.

Employee organizations that helped bury one major PFP system—the National Security Personnel System—are back on the offensive.

For example, in testimony on federal pay issues today before the House Oversight and Government Reform Federal Workforce Subcommittee, National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley was back in the thick of it, once again telling lawmakers that alternative pay systems have failed to help agencies recruit and retain high-quality employees—or to motivate them to better achieve agency missions.

“I don’t know of a single so-called pay-for-performance system that is showing progress on either of those goals,” said Kelley.

Of course that won’t stop champions of the “government should operate more like a business” approach from once more calling for reforms that give agencies the same pay-setting powers enjoyed by most private-sector companies.

(The National Active and Retires Federal Employees Association also was in Washington this week to conduct legislative training. Chief among the group’s goals: Ramp up push-back by members against proposed changes to federal pay and benefits.)

Looks like it’s time for round two.