Thousands of AFGE members joined a live town hall on Oct. 30 to hear the latest updates on the federation’s efforts to advocate on their behalf in the face of relentless political attacks on federal employee jobs, collective bargaining rights, and now on their paycheck.
Due to the government shutdown that began Oct. 1, federal employees are either working without pay or are furloughed from their jobs without pay. It’s the latest injustice being directed at the 2 million civil servants who serve our country with honor and pride.
“Too many people without skin in the game have tried to frame this as just another partisan fight in Washington. They want to pretend as if our livelihoods are nothing more than bargaining chips in a contest to see which party wins and which party loses. But this isn’t a game for us,” AFGE President Everett Kelley said at the opening of the town hall.
“This is about real people with real families who have dedicated their lives to serving this country. It’s about an apolitical civil service that serves all Americans, already stretched to the limits, now being pushed to the breaking point – and the damage that will cause long-term to everyone in this nation.”
That’s why President Kelley issued a statement Oct. 27 calling for Congress to reopen the government immediately, which aligns with AFGE’s consistent opposition to all previous government shutdowns.
Kelley’s statement generated a burst of attention on Capitol Hill, and there are encouraging signs of progress on a potential deal to end the partisan stalemate, AFGE Legislative Director Daniel Horowitz said.
The quickest end to the shutdown would be for the Senate to pass legislation already cleared by the House that would fund the government at existing levels through Nov. 21. The Senate has voted 14 times on the continuing resolution, but each time it has failed to reach the 60 votes needed to pass.
“Without that bill passing – that clean CR or some other similar bill – there’s no funding for the government. So we are shut down,” Horowitz said.
In addition to working to end the shutdown, we are getting closer to a vote on legislation that would restore the collective bargaining contracts that have been revoked by President Trump, Horowitz said.
The Protect America’s Workforce Act, which would restore our contracts, has the support of 224 lawmakers in the House – a majority – and 48 cosponsors in the Senate. A discharge petition to compel a House vote on the bill needs the support of just two additional representatives to reach the 216 required signatures.
In addition, we have already secured language in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that would restore our collective bargaining contracts in the Department of Defense. Assuming the language survives negotiations with the Senate, it could open the door to restoring our contacts governmentwide, Horowitz said.
“We are confident that if we can break the logjam at the Department of Defense, we will be able to get collective bargaining rights back at other agencies,” he said.
On the litigation front, AFGE and other unions successfully blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to fire thousands of federal employees furloughed due to the government shutdown. A district court judge issued a preliminary injunction Oct. 28 that prevents the administration from implementing any reduction-in-force actions issued since the shutdown began Oct. 1 pending resolution of lawsuit unions filed.
AFGE General Counsel Rushab Sanghvi noted that the injunction only applies to the parts of agencies with members or bargaining units that are represented by AFGE or the seven other unions that are plaintiffs in the lawsuit.
“This is important and it may become even more important in future cases moving forward. And it’s another reason why your membership is important to protecting your own rights and the rights of others,” Sanghvi said.
AFGE local leaders speaking on the call highlighted the economic pain many of our members are encountering as they go nearly a month without any income.
“One of our members had to call out sick this past week – not because he was sick, but because he didn’t have enough gas money to get to work,” said AFGE Local 2065 President Kelley Keating, headquartered in Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, who also represents nearly 7,000 Marine Corps civilians as president of AFGE Council 240.
“He went and knocked on neighbors’ doors until he found $20 to borrow to put in his gas tank so he could go to work. That's what the shutdown is doing to these people.”
Transportation Security Administration officers at some airports have been warned against calling out sick or requesting leave if they are struggling to get to work or have to deal with personal matters resulting from the shutdown, said AFGE Local 333 President LaShanda Palmer, who represents TSA employees in Philadelphia and has worked for the agency for 23 years.
“I’ve seen many shutdowns, and this has been the most difficult one,” Palmer said. “The last one doesn’t even compare to this one. We’re hurting. Some of us can’t afford gas toll or even their medications. Yet, instead of compassion, we’re being met with threats of discipline.”
Like TSA workers, most employees at the Social Security Administration are exempt from the furlough and have been working without pay since the shutdown began.
“The only reason that social security checks are going out, retirement and disability applications are being taken, phones are being answered, and questions from the public are being taken care of is because we are doing our absolute best for the American people. We’re on the front line, and we are continuing to serve,” said Jordan Harwell, president of AFGE Local 4012 representing SSA employees in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.
“Many employees right now simply can’t afford to put gas in their cars, afford parking or other commuting expenses without a paycheck to cover these costs,” Harwell said.
Many AFGE locals across the country are organizing food drives, gift card collections, and other assistance to help members in need.
“We’ve helped furloughed employees apply for hardship assistance and connected them with mental health and veteran support services,” said AFGE Local 2391 Vice President Omar Algeciras, representing Department of Labor employees along the west coast and Pacific.
The local also is one of many that have organized rallies and protests to call attention to the economic pain and hardship members are facing and to demand an immediate end to the shutdown.
“We continue to speak out publicly. We are demanding Congress show up and stop pointing fingers. Leadership means taking action and stepping up,” he said.
Keating from the Marine Corps council agreed.
“My duty as an AFGE local president is clear. We're going to fight for you – our members – not for any political party, not for personal gain, not for partisan gain,” she said. “We fight for fairness, dignity, and respect for you. Because behind every missed paycheck is a family holding on by a thread and a worker that needs to know their service still matters.”
For the latest shutdown news, visit www.afge.org/stoptheshutdown.
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