Don't Let Them Push Us Off a Fiscal Cliff
November 21, 2012
We're sounding the alarm to stop Congress from pushing federal workers over the cliff as negotiations proceed on a Grand Bargain over the expiration of the Bush Tax Cuts and the looming implementation of sequestration.
Our goals are two-fold:
- Put increasing grassroots pressure on Representatives and Senators to home the message that federal workers have already sacrificed $103 billion towards deficit reduction. Enough is enough and dont you dare consider any more cuts to our pay and pension. Everyone should assume that their Representative and Senators need to be informed (reminded) of this fact. Dont assume that any lawmaker knows the full extent of the sacrifices we have already made.
- Put increasing pressure on Representatives and Senators to ask others to sacrifice particularly contractors and the richest 2% of Americans. In short, cap contractor pay and let the Bush Tax cuts for the richest 2% expired which would generate nearly $1 trillion in revenue. That would generate the money necessary to avoid further cuts in our pay and pensions, critical services and Social Security and Medicare.
What are we asking you to do?
- Enjoy the Thanksgiving Holiday!
- Send this letter to both of your Senators and your Representative no later than close of business on Friday, November 30. Please note that the first paragraph of the letter is designed to be customized by you fill in the blanks regarding your Local number, number of workers you represent, your agency/facility and the city where your Local is located. Please send the letter by FAX to each lawmakers Capitol Hill office mail is too slow and general email will be ignored given the high volume of emails going in to all lawmakers offices. If you know the chief of staff or legislative director in the lawmakers office please send it directly to them. If not, simply address the fax to each lawmaker care of their Legislative Director.Please send copies of your letters to Jorae Williams at willij1@afge.org or by fax to (202) 639 6492.
- Ask your E-board members, stewards and other AFGE activists to call both of their Senators and Representative. Please begin the calls as soon as you possibly can. They need to be made no later than Wednesday, December 4. We know that calls are harder to pull-off. We simply have no other choice. If we are going to prevent more cuts WE MUST GET THE ATTENTION OF LAWMAKERS. A steady flood of calls is going to be necessary to overcome the general lack of knowledge on Capitol Hill about the enormous sacrifices our members have already made. Please send a report on the numbers of calls made to Jorae Williams at willij1@afge.org.
There are two phone scripts; click here for the Senate Version, and click here for the House Version. They are approved by the General Counsels office for use at worksites as long as the employee making the call is using their personal cell phone and is not on duty time. That means organizing calls during lunch breaks or before and after work.
- Also call your lawmakers and schedule a meeting as soon as possible. We need to get face to face meetings with staff back home to explain the sacrifices weve made. Dont wait for a meeting with the lawmaker directly because they are going to be in Washington, DC. Meeting with their staff will allow us to deliver our message and there is no time to waste. Bring a copy of the letter as a fact sheet. These meetings are the final step in the trifecta we are trying to pull off. Contact, contact, contact is the goal. Dont assume that your lawmakers know the full extent of the sacrifices that federal employees have already made towards deficit reduction.If you do get a meeting scheduled, let Jorae Williams know at willij1@afge.org.
As always, your questions and comments are invited. We do want to make the point that this must be a union-wide grassroots effort. We need to raise thousands of AFGE voices and we need to do it very soon if we are to prevent federal workers from being thrown over the cliff.
In solidarity,
Beth Moten
Director, Legislative & Political Department
Bob Nicklas
Political Action Director
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