WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement in response to reports that the Trump administration is threatening to deny furloughed federal workers back pay during the shutdown in direct violation of federal law and the administration’s own guidance:
“This administration is again threatening to use federal workers as political pawns by robbing them of the wages they are owed by law. The billionaires running this administration need to be reminded that working people nationwide are tired of being squeezed by greedy corporations while health care, grocery and child care costs continue to skyrocket and make life unaffordable. Federal law and the administration’s own OPM guidance is clear: furloughed federal workers are entitled to back pay after a shutdown.
“It’s time for the administration and Congress to stop playing games with workers’ livelihoods, fix the health care crisis and fund public services so we can get back to providing the vital services our communities are counting on.”