"A government shutdown is never Plan A, the letter reads. Federal workers and the communities we serve will face severe hardship. But federal workers will willingly forego paychecks in the hopes of preserving the programs we have devoted our lives to administering. These workers are showing remarkable solidarity with each other. They are willing to stage the closest thing to a general strike the US has seen since 1946, when more than 100,000 Oakland, California, workers stayed home, shutting the city down."
"The Democrats' demands, the letter says, should include adequate funding for critical public services and a guarantee that funds appropriated by the Congress are spent. This gives the Democrats the chance not just to win this budget battle, but to begin to win back their identity and the people who should be their base. A government shutdown is never Plan A, the letter reads."
FUN and 35 national, state, and local unions urge Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries to hold out against Republicans in budget negotiations, even if that produces a government shutdown and halted paychecks. The signatories represent tens of thousands of federal workers. Demands include adequate funding for critical public services and a guarantee that Congress-appropriated funds are actually spent. Federal workers express willingness to forgo pay to preserve programs and demonstrate strong solidarity, prepared to undertake actions comparable to a general strike despite legal prohibitions on federal strikes and strategic risks of weakening the civil service.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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