The leader of the main government of the Union describes their strategy to fight Trump’s federal cuts – and says that Elon Musk has no idea about workers
The second Trump administration is highly characterized by focused efforts to reduce the number of federal employees.
Through the Staff Management Office and the Ministry of Government Elona Musk, the President used Extremely unusual resignation offer and dismissal reduce labor via agencies, including the Department of Education and the Veterans’ Questions Department. There are no official numbers about how much people were discharged but 62,530 government positions are cut So far this year, according to data published earlier this month from Global Outplacement Challenger, Gray, & Christmas. More cuts will probably come.
The unions played a big role in legal challenges by mass shooting of federal workers. On Thursday, two separate verdicts ordered Trump’s administration to re -establish this term of employees. One ruling In response to 20 general lawyers of Democrats calling for the re -establishment of released workers, they came from a federal judge in Maryland. The other was issued A judge in the US District Court for the North District of California in response to a case that tens of Labor unions and advocacy groups. US District Judge William Alsup has ordered six federal agencies to re -establish thousands of trial employees dismissed under the leadership of the OPM, which is a move that has declared illegal. Trump’s administration has already filed Appeal in that case.
The US Federation of State, County and Municipal employees (AFSCME) was one of the prosecutors in that second challenge. The union represents 1.4 million public service workers throughout the country in the Federal, State and Local Administration, as well as the non -profit sector. AFSCME president, Lee Saunders, talked to Wealth About the threat of being workers in the public sector, which is felt by its members and that the union plans to reciprocate.
This interview is decorated and condensed for clarity.
Fortune: What are the members of the AFSCME?
President Saunders: They feel under attack. They believe in the importance of public services, and yet you see that this current administration attacks them every day.
They are scared, but they also know that they have to hear voices and have to reciprocate, and that’s exactly what they do. Their union supports them 100% by talking about the importance of public services and challenging some things this administration works, and Whether it’s courtor whether it is in the media or is it on the streets. We will continue to do this to highlight our position and reach a point.
AFSCME is one of the plaintiffs in file who has just ruled in favor of the return of a shot trial federal worker. Many see this as a win for federal workers, but that government does not makeExecute this week’s term set by Trump’s administration that requires that all agencies send the president and the OPM plans for more release. What could this look like the future for these workers?
This is a huge victory for these workers.
It will be a challenge, but we will continue to put the full strength of the union behind the filing of such lawsuits. This is really important, but we also have to insult and not play defense all the time, and we will continue to do it. What we are currently doing is organizing and mobilizing and education of our members across the country by phone calls, going to the City Hall meetings.
One of the things we have to do is continue to organize. Seventy percent Americans believe unions are absolutely necessary in this country and 88% young people [view them favorably]. We will consume resources and talk to the workers, asking them to represent them or other unions to have a place at the table.
It feels like a new development is related to Doga Doga every day. How would you advise people to accompany a whirlwind of procedures?
I think at Afscme -in the workers’ movement and our allies and friends to continue talking about what this administration is trying to do to hurt working people. We need to enroll people in the workers ‘movement and beyond the workers’ movement to hear the voices. We can’t just sit still and keep quiet when that destruction is – and that’s exactly what it is – takes place on a federal level, [which will] Get down to the national and local levels, with possible huge cuts in federal programs. State governments rely on federal money for the financing of programs at the state level; They are understood 33% of [their revenue] from the Federal Government. This helps to provide public services at the state, city and local level.
It’s all about keeping educated. It’s all about [workers] Not to be silent, but to hear their voices and return as never before.
[When asked for comment, a spokesperson for the White House told Fortune: “President Trump returned to Washington with a mandate from the American people to bring about unprecedented change in our federal government to uproot waste, fraud, and abuse.”]
Elon musk crowded Tweet that implies that the public sector workers were responsible for mass murders under people like Hitler, Mao and Stalin. What do you do from this comment and attacks on public sector workers in general?
I will try to control my language but … that’s hating a comment for him [retweet] To compare our public sector workers and our members, saying that “Hitler, Stalin and Mao did not kill millions, but [their] The public sector workers did so. “Just think about it. From there comes and we have to get that message.
There is no idea that workers face every day. He has no idea what they are doing to improve the lives of our citizens in our communities across the country and to improve public services, but he makes such a statement. I mean, it’s amazing and we have to make sure people understand that this is what he is saying, and people believe in this administration.
[Fortune reached out to Elon Musk but did not get a response.]
How can unions protect workers if the government wants to release them?
We endure these lawsuits – that’s the number one. We push even though we understand that the climate here in Washington, DC is not the best. But we still have to continue to go into the offense, as I said before. We support Pro Actwhich would give workers the right to have a place at a table to improve the Labor Law in this country. We do the same with Public freedom of negotiating on the act for public services workers.
We have the ability to mobilize every day – mobilize members of the union, but also workers who are not in unions in our communities across the country. Because it also affects them. The actions that are proposed affect all who rely on public services: Medicaid, Medicare, social insurance. All these programs are attacked and we have to do what we do best, and this is exactly what we do.
This narrative against the public sector workers came quickly and strongly. How do you fight the feelings that come from those with huge platforms like Trump and Male?
These are not just federal workers. These are really all workers. There is currently an attack on all workers. I guess the way I can answer that question is that reality is now hitting people in the face. I mean, they feel it. People are indisputably released. People are released. Their rights are taken away from them. The services to which the American people rely on are reduced and proposed to do much more damage. So, I mean, here’s the book they talked about, and now they put into action, and we have to make sure that people understand the impact they will have on them and their families. You have to react in the way we ask people to reciprocate and hear the voices. You can’t sit quietly and watch it happen.
This story is originally shown on Fortune.com
