Federal Workers Stage "Eat-In" to Show Sequestration Impact

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)Dozens of area federal workers carrying bag lunches staged an "eat-in" yesterday to demonstrate the financial impact of sequestration on workers and on the businesses they patronize. "Sequestration affects us all, families and communities alike," said AFGE 3331 President Nate James, as employees of the EPA (AFGE 3331), State Department (AFGE 1534), USAID (AFGE 1534) and the National Gallery of Art (AFGE 1831) nodded their agreement while munching on their brown-bag lunches in the Federal Triangle courtyard. "This is the beginning of a larger campaign to show the very real effect the sequestration is having," said AFGE District 14 National Vice President Eric Bunn. "Just look around," James added, gesturing at the half-full courtyard, "it's really having an impact." NTEU members also joined the event, and AFGE staffers distributed "FedBucks,"bright yellow oversized faux bills that some local Federal Triangle vendors -- dubbed "Friends of Feds" -- are honoring with discounts, including Quiznos, Market to Market, the 14th Street Deli, Gelatissimo, Quick Pitas, Bassetts and the Federal Triangle Variety Shop & Newsstand. - report/photo by Chris Garlock