Press Releases

  • Unions, Retirees File Motion for Preliminary Injunction to Halt Unlawful DOGE Access to Social Security Data as New Facts Emerge

    Filing Seeks to Restore Control Over SSA’s Data Systems and Suspend DOGE’s Unlawful Activity Until the Lawsuit is Resolved Baltimore, MD — Today, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the American Federation…

  • AFSCME’s Saunders: Patients who depend on Medicare and Medicaid deserve better than Dr. Oz

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Dr. Mehmet Oz to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS): “At a time when our population is growing…

  • AFSCME responds to ruling restraining shutdown of the U.S. Agency for Global Media and Voice of America

    NEW YORK – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after a federal judge granted a temporary restraining order to cease further efforts to shutter the U.S. Agency for Global Media and Voice of…

  • AFSCME’s Saunders: Trump’s attempt to eliminate collective bargaining for federal workers is blatant retribution

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after the Trump administration signed a union-busting executive order to unlawfully end collective bargaining for hundreds of thousands of federal workers: “President Trump’s attempt to…

  • Journalists, Federal Workers, and Unions File Lawsuit to Challenge Closure of U.S. Agency for Global Media

    NEW YORK, N.Y.—Today, journalists, federal workers, and their unions sued the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM), its Acting Director Victor Morales, and Special Adviser Kari Lake to challenge the unlawful shuttering of the agency…

  • AFSCME’s Saunders: Leland Dudek is willing to see millions of senior citizens suffer all because he didn’t get his way in court.

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after acting Commissioner Leland Dudek threatened to shut down the Social Security Administration in response to a judge temporarily denying Elon Musk’s DOGE access: “For…

  • AFSCME’s Saunders: Shutting down the Department of Education amounts to one giant hit job on America’s working families

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders responds to the Trump administration’s executive order gutting the Department of Education: “When leaders tell you their plans, believe them: This executive order is Project 2025 come to life.…

  • AFSCME’s Saunders: The court agrees – hands off Social Security

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement in response to the U.S. District Court of Maryland granting a temporary restraining order against DOGE’s access to the Social Security Administration: “This is a…

  • AFSCME’s Saunders: Cutting wages for workers and undermining unions is a promise broken

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after the White House moved to end the $15 minimum wage for federal contractors and re-direct federal infrastructure investments to anti-union companies: “The billionaires in…

  • AFSCME’s Saunders: We will continue to stand with workers and fight these efforts to destroy public service

    WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order Friday to dismantle seven federal agencies. The order could directly impact AFSCME members who work for Voice of…