"Mad as hell" Federal Workers "Stand Up, Fight Back" Against Sequestration

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Hundreds of federal workers and their supporters massed in front of the U.S. Department of Labor’s headquarters for a noon rally yesterday demanding repeal of the budget sequestration. “Who should be furloughed?” asked AFGE Local 12 President Alex Bastani. “Congress!” the crowd roared back. “When should they be furloughed? Now!” In addition to turnout by AFGE and AFSCME locals representing federal workers, other unions, including the Laborers and Bricklayers, also showed strong support. The Laborers – who represent workers at the FAA and National Guard – kicked off their Federal Lobby Week yesterday and had brought members in from across the country to tell Congress how sequestration-driven furloughs will harm them, their families, and their communities.  “Sequestration kills communities,” shouted LiUNA’s Patti Devlin, “Stand up, fight back!” At over 100 events across the nation yesterday – including a second DC action by AFGE 1923 at the M Street Social Security offices – working families called on Republican members of Congress to immediately repeal sequestration and not replace it with cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid or other critical programs. “We’re mad as hell!” said Stephanie Graf, a AFGE Local 12 board member who works in the DOL’s Employment and Training Agency. Across-the-board sequestration cuts totaling $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years went into effect March 1st and will cost 750,000 jobs nationwide while cutting funding for critical family supporting programs. - report/photos by Chris Garlock