Embedded Files
WASHINGTON, DC — At midnight, government funding expired, triggering a shutdown that federal workers say is not about a budget but about power.
For the first time in history, agencies have been told not just to furlough workers but to prepare for mass layoffs — a direct assault on democracy and public service. The Trump administration is weaponizing this shutdown to weaken the civil service, fire career experts, and strip away vital services and protections millions of Americans depend on.
Leading up to the shutdown, the Trump administration politicized one agency website, blaming Democrats for the shutdown in a clear violation of the Hatch Act. After the shutdown went into effect, the administration repeated the politicizations in internal communications across federal agencies. The Hatch Act is a law that sets limits on the kinds of political activities government employees can engage in and protects “federal employees from political coercion in the workplace.” Violating the Hatch Act could result in a government worker losing their job.
Workers and communities together are united in saying: No bad budget in our name. No dismantling of the services that sustain our democracy.
Healthcare: Medicaid cuts could take coverage from 10–17 million; ACA subsidies may lapse, spiking premiums; 160,000+ veterans will wait longer for care.
Housing & Food: SNAP and housing aid delays mean families risk going hungry or losing shelter.
Public Safety: Disaster relief, inspections, and pollution protections are slowed or stopped.
Quotes from the Front Lines
“Let’s be clear: The end game isn’t about this year’s budget — it’s about weakening the public sector, firing civil servants, and building a government that serves billionaires and Trump’s ego. We are willing to sacrifice our own paychecks to defend democracy and the American people, not Trump and the billionaires.” — James Kirwan is a lawyer with the National Labor Relations Board who was furloughed today.
“This is not Democrats vs. Republicans — it’s Trump vs. the American people. Federal workers don’t want a shutdown — we want to serve. But we cannot stand by while Trump tries to dismantle the very agencies that keep communities safe and secure.” — Paul Osadebe is a civil rights attorney at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Click the image above to watch Paul Osadebe's speech at the Healthcare Over Billionaires rally on September 30.
The Federal Unionists Network calls on Congress and the public to reject this power grab and defend the promise of public service.
Contacts:
media@federalunionists.net
Anna Bakalis, 323-770-4477
Shaye Skiff, 270-300-4980
The Federal Unionists Network (FUN) is a national movement of federal workers and allies working in coalition to defend public services and rebuild government for a more democratic, equitable, and just country.
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