Federal Workers Union Sues White House Over Possible Government Shutdown

With time running out for congressional leaders to reach a budget deal, the country's biggest federal workers union is taking the Obama administration to court for what it called a failure to explain how federal programs and services would be affected if there's a government shutdown.

The American Federation of Government Employees announced Tuesday that it filed a lawsuit in federal court last week seeking details on the shutdown plans of federal agencies.

The union's national president, John Gage, said he filed the lawsuit after the White House Office of Management and Budget failed to respond to a Freedom of Information Act request sent early last month.

Gage said public unions have been given very little information on how agencies would determine which employees are essential in the event of a government shutdown.

"It's not something that should be cavalierly handled," Gage said in a written statement. "If a shutdown goes on, there will be federal employees who are going to be hurt financially. They should know before the eve of a shutdown what is happening and it should be done orderly and not in a last-minute rush."

Note to all Federal Employees: If you're considered "nonessential" better get used to not working!

Any and all "nonessential programs and employees" are just that - nonessential and thus they are just sucking blood out of the rest of us for their daily sustenance.

Find yourself are real job and realize the freedom of being "essential" somewhere, just not at the Federal (State and local) trough!

What is amusing is that those of us in the private sector deal with these same circumstances on an all too frequent basis anymore. Whereas, technology workers have to worry about our jobs being pushed offshore, the public sector employees do not.

It also seems that if they can’t take what little frustration or insecurity the looming government shutdown is causing them, perhaps they’re not as strong or as good as they think they are.

I’ve also contacted my congressman, one of the freshmen, and asked the following question, “If a person is not considered critical personnel during the shutdown, why not look at the position and evaluate whether the position should be permanently done away with.

But you need to understand, this sort of garbage from the government unions

If you really read my statement I did not mention unions. I am not a union member. I don't pay dues except for a charge for my health coverage which is through a postal service and is required by the health plan. It is required along with my health care deduction. I pay for my health care, despite the pablum passed on by many. Again, I do not belong to a union. I don't vote for any union position. The law requires me to be represented by the union in cases involving employment related grievances, but I again am not a union member. People really have no understanding of the federal employment procedures. And many idiots here, display their complete brain-dead attitude have my contempt. Zeddicus, I do not put you in that category but I did not mention how I felt about unions. I addressed the shotgun brain-dead comment involving all federal employees which despite Publius6961' comment does involve military members. And it involves DOD emergency-essential personnel like me.

yldstrk apparently does not have enough brain cells to reason out that civilian positions in the military are at the request of military members. Colonels and Generals directly make the requests for these emergency essential positions. Military regulations require that contractor positions be converted to government civilian positions within three years in order to save money. As EE employees a condition of our employment is the acceptance of deployment on the orders of the government. I have a red passport. I go where they send me. And where they send me requires me to undergo non-combatant military training to include chemical warfare training, gas mask, suit and all. I take the shots required by the military to go where they go.

So except for Zeddicus, you are all invited to kiss my rosy red rump. And I will especially think of how pissed off you are when I receive my next paycheck, whenever that may be.

Cheers, your friendly federal employee,

Andy

I think most FReepers support federal funding for the military. Defense is supposed to be one of the federal government’s few responsibilities.

The federal workers most FReepers have no use for are the millions of IRS workers, social program personnel, regulatory agency employees, etc...

The Fed should be in the business of protecting the nation militarily and enforcing the constitution. The rest of the “responsibilities” they’ve assumed should be shut down.

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