Federal workers’ union calls for unity amid the government shutdown

The nation’s largest union representing federal workers is calling for solidarity among its members as the government shutdown surpasses a month.

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents 820,000 government workers, held a special town hall on Thursday alongside other union leaders to discuss the organization’s plans moving forward as the shutdown continues.

Everett Kelley, AFGE’s national president, shared that over 2,000 workers submitted questions ahead of the event. For timing purposes, only the five most requested questions were answered during the town hall.

“It’s a time filled with uncertainty, frustration and anger,” Kelley said, adding that the shutdown is testing federal workers “not just financially, but emotionally and morally.”

According to Kelley, many federal employees are struggling to get by without food or a paycheck to cover their bills during the extended government shutdown. Recently, he urged Senate Democrats to join Republicans in reopening the government immediately “under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.”

During Thursday’s town hall, Kelley reiterated this plea, emphasizing that no federal worker should have to go hungry just to “make a point to win a political fight.”

“They want to pretend as if our livelihoods are nothing more than bargaining chips in a contest to see which party wins and which party loses,” Kelley said.

Kelly Keating, chair of AFGE Local 2065 and the Council for the Marine Corps Base representing civilian employees in Quantico, Virginia, also spoke during the event. She never imagined that part of representing federal workers would involve locating food banks for employees or even calling sweet potato farmers to request donations.

Keating called on everyone participating in the town hall to contact their congressional representatives and demand an end to the shutdown.

“We need to be reminding them of the oath that they took,” she said. “We need to be loud, and we need to tell them to do their damn job, and we need to do it every day.”

The town hall also provided updates on the union’s recent legal victories, including a win in federal court where a judge in San Francisco indefinitely barred the Trump administration from firing federal employees during the government shutdown.

Federal workers seeking additional assistance were directed to the AFGE’s website, which features a nationwide map with resources such as food assistance, discounts, and financial support.

Kelley also highlighted hardship loans and shutdown grants available through the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund.

For members unable to pay their union dues, instructions were given to make a request through their local union chapter.

To conclude the town hall, Kelley urged members to remain united and continue pressuring lawmakers to end the shutdown. Those who had not yet joined the union and were on the call were encouraged to do so, with Kelley stressing that greater membership strengthens their collective voice.

“We are the backbones of this country,” he said. “We need to remember that our power to win these fights comes from our solidarity.”

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https://wtop.com/local/2025/11/ovn-federal-workers-union-calls-for-unity-amid-the-government-shutdown/

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