Federal & County Workers Urge Support To Stop Furloughs, Cuts

(Metropolitan Washington Council, AFL-CIO)

Facing a looming federal shutdown and significant pay cuts, federal workers and Montgomery County employees are urging area activists to take action immediately. “AFSCME Council 26 and other federal workers’ unions are fighting to stop hundreds of thousands of federal employees from being furloughed after funding runs out on April 8,” says AFSCME Council 26. “Now we need you to become a part of the solution.  Call Congress and tell them to reject the extreme cuts in H.R. 1 and tell them to reach a compromise that rejects the legislation before Friday” to keep the government running (click here for a list of targeted Congress Members and phone numbers). In Montgomery County – where unions say that County Executive Ike Leggett is demanding drastic cuts in benefits and salaries – public workers are encouraging people to send an email to Councilmembers telling them “Enough is enough; give them fair treatment.” “We staff libraries and recreation centers,” says UFCW 1994 MCGEO. “We are specialists and technicians, nurses and professionals in the Department of Health & Human Services; school health room aides; corrections officers, Deputy Sheriffs, Ride-On bus operators, highway maintenance personnel and many others. These are hard times, and we want to do our part, but enough is enough.” - photo (top) courtesy CBS