While reopening the government is long overdue, Organized Labor will not celebrate a temporary reprieve to a politically motivated crisis that has left families in anguish. Photo from Pixabay
Fox Valley Labor News staff reports
Thursday, January 31, 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Even though the government is now open, the AFGE‘s is urging all federal employees who have been working without pay during the 35-day government shutdown to join its shutdown lawsuit to be made whole from their loss of income.
To join the lawsuit, visit 2018 Government Shutdown Lawsuit and provide the required information. Members can also email any questions they have about the lawsuit to 2018governmentshutdown@kcnlaw.com.
For all updates on the shutdown, visit Shutdown Update. The shutdown must never happen again.
President Donald Trump was forced to end the shutdown because Labor spoke up and kept the pressure on the administration and Congress. But it could happen again. Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said Trump is willing to do it all over again.
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Don’t get mad. Join the movement and fight back! When Organized Labor bombarded Congress with calls and visits and took to the streets for days on end, their hard work paid off! Congress and Trump reached an agreement Jan. 25 to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and fund the government through Feb. 15.
Labor’s collective actions were covered extensively by the media, which created even more pressure to end the shutdown. The short-term continuing resolution, signed into law the night of Jan. 25, ended the 35-day shutdown without the wall funding Trump. The deal allowed federal employees, forced to work without pay or locked out of work without pay, to receive their paycheck as quickly as possible.
Congress needs to pass full-year legislation
While reopening the government is long overdue, Labor will not celebrate a temporary reprieve to a politically motivated crisis that has left members in anguish over how to pay their bills and feed their family.
“Congress must pass full-year appropriations for all government agencies as well legislation to make all affected federal employees whole,” said AFGE President J. David Cox Sr. “We are also urging Congress to act to prevent the use of shutdowns from ever occurring again.”
The AFGE is asking members to continue to contact their member of congress and senators to keep up the pressure in the next three weeks to make sure Congress delivers on a deal that will give government workers long-term security.
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