Largest US Federal Employee Union Urges Congress to End Government Shutdown

Federal Employee Union Calls for End to Government Shutdown

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the largest union representing over 800,000 federal employees, has issued an urgent call for Congress to end the four-week-long government shutdown. This call places increased pressure on Senate Democrats, who have previously blocked Republican proposals.

“It’s time to pass a ‘clean’ continuing resolution to end this shutdown,” stated Everett Kelley, President of AFGE. He referred to a “continuing resolution” as a short-term spending bill. Kelley described the current situation as an “avoidable crisis” that continues to harm countless families and communities, adding, “Both parties have made their points, but the shutdown still shows no clear signs of ending.”

Republicans and Democrats Face Mounting Pressure

The union’s plea aligns with the position Republicans have urged Democrats to take over the past month. However, AFGE did not name any party specifically and did not respond to requests for comment from reporters.

Currently, hundreds of thousands of federal employees – whether still working or forced to take unpaid leave – did not receive their full paychecks last week, and even more will face similar hardship this week. This includes those in high-pressure roles like air traffic controllers, whose absence could create chaos at airports nationwide. While employees will receive back pay once the shutdown ends, many have had to rely on savings, short-term loans, or even food banks to get by during this period.

Conflicting Positions of the Parties

Republican leadership says the only way to end the shutdown is to first pass the Republican temporary funding bill to reopen the government, followed by further negotiations. In contrast, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, insists that bipartisan negotiations must first take place regarding the extension of soon-to-expire medical subsidies under the Affordable Care Act before Democrats will vote to reopen the government.

Several key deadlines are fast approaching: November 1 marks the start of the new annual open enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned it will be unable to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which covers 40 million people, next month.

Democrats Stand Firm in Their Position

While Democrats acknowledge the AFGE statement, they clarify that they will not change their opposition to Republican proposals. “It’s a tough trade-off, I can’t think of a tougher spot to be in,” stated John Hickenlooper, a Democratic Senator from Colorado. He emphasized that he would still vote against the Republican proposal. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democratic Senator from New Hampshire, downplayed the importance of the union’s statement, saying, “I talked to the union president weeks ago, and that’s always been his position.”

Republicans Insist on Passing Their Proposals

The temporary funding bill proposed by Republicans passed in the House last month, which would have kept the government operating until November 21, but it has been rejected multiple times by Senate Democrats. Republicans currently hold a majority in the Senate with 53 seats to 47, but most legislation requires 60 votes to advance, and no alternative solution has yet emerged. The House remains in recess, a move intended to prevent the advancement of any alternative solutions.

Mutual Accusations Between Parties

Schumer, in a speech on the Senate floor, insisted on his original position, arguing that Republicans must negotiate on healthcare issues, and accused them of being responsible for the disruption to the food assistance program. “The power to decide whether the government stays open or shuts down rests entirely in the hands of Donald Trump and the Republicans,” he stated.

Tom Emmer, a Republican Representative from Minnesota who serves as the House Majority Whip, told reporters on Monday that he was “glad to see” the union calling for reopening the government. Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House and a Republican from Louisiana, said, “They’re recognizing reality.”

Specific Proposals to Pay Federal Employees

Some lawmakers have proposed bills to specifically pay federal employees without fully funding the government. Dan Sullivan, a Republican Senator from Alaska, proposed paying military personnel during the shutdown. Ted Cruz, a Republican Senator from Texas, proposed a bill to pay over 10,000 air traffic controllers and approximately 50,000 Transportation Security Administration security personnel nationwide.

Failed Attempts to Pass Specific Bills

Last week, a Republican-backed bill led by Ron Johnson, a Republican Senator from Wisconsin, was blocked by Democrats as it aimed to pay all federal employees working without pay during the shutdown. Democrats said the bill's terms gave the White House too much control over appropriations and did not resolve the shutdown crisis.

Johnson held bipartisan consultations over the weekend with Chris Van Hollen, a Democratic Senator from Maryland, who is also eager to advance a standalone bill specifically to pay all federal employees. “They are innocent bystanders,” Van Hollen said.

Future of Potential Bills Uncertain

It is currently unclear whether Republican leadership will allow related bills to be voted on separately. John Thune, the Senate Majority Leader and a Republican from South Dakota, was ambiguous on the matter, stating, “That will depend on where senators are on those issues.”

Notably, AFGE and several other major unions have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, accusing it of illegally furloughing more than 4,000 federal employees during the shutdown. Last week, a federal judge in California issued a temporary injunction banning these layoffs, calling the action both unlawful and cruel.

Impact of Ongoing Shutdown

The current government shutdown began on October 1 due to a failure by both parties to agree on a new fiscal year budget, with core disagreements revolving around expenses related to Affordable Care Act benefits. As the shutdown continues for four weeks, its impact has continued to expand: approximately 1,400 key employees at the National Nuclear Security Administration have been forced to take unpaid leave, some employees of the federal court system’s 33,000 workforce will be furloughed, and multiple public services have ground to a halt. Analyses indicate that this crisis is essentially a reflection of American political polarization, highlighting a deep failure of American democratic governance, and that ordinary citizens and federal employees are becoming direct victims of partisan struggles.