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Posted on 04/08/2011 2:10:04 PM PDT by Libloather
Largest federal worker union sues for pay lost in event of shutdown
By Kevin Bogardus - 04/08/11 02:25 PM ET
The nation's largest federal employee union sued the Obama administration Friday, seeking the repayment of wages lost during a government shutdown.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) says in its lawsuit that the administration has violated the Constitution's appropriations clause and the 13th Amendment by requiring employees to work without pay during a federal closure.
“Hundreds of thousands of federal employees will be required to work during a shutdown, and there’s no guarantee that Congress will keep the administration’s promise to pay those employees once the shutdown is over,” said John Gage, AFGE's general president, in a statement. “The Constitution requires an appropriation by Congress before federal dollars can be spent, no exceptions. ... Without an appropriation, the agencies simply can't spend money or incur debts by forcing employees to work.”
AFGE has 600,000 members who are federal and D.C. government workers.
The 13th Amendment became law in 1865, ending the practice of slavery and indentured servitude in the United States.
The lawsuit says the administration cannot claim an emergency exception for employees to work during a shutdown since Congress cannot pay for debts when no appropriations have been passed to fund them.
The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and names Office of Management and Budget Director Jacob Lew and Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry as defendants.
Other federal worker unions, such as the National Treasury Employees Union, have pushed for legislation that will approve back-pay for workers furloughed during a government shutdown.
Only in Washington do they file the suit before they have a cause of action. Are they afraid that if they wait until Monday the possible shutdown will be resolved and they won’t be able to posture as the saviors of government employees?
Once again we have further evidence that absolutely NO employee of any publicly funded entity has reason or cause to be allowed to join a labor union.
None!
Public sector unions at all levels must be decertified and abolished immediately.
Hrm...well obviously...they can only sue those who are responsible for the shut down....Obama.
That settles that..
I was just thinking the same thing.
A leftist socialist union suddenly believes and supports the US Constitution in order to keep the paychecks coming. Where were their protests regarding ObamaCare and other unconstitutional acts by the Obama Regime? Their lawsuits and squealing should be ignored by everyone.
Sorry... you have no standing to sue the messiah of the left. No one has standing... ever.
LLS
It never ceases to amaze me how much reverence libs have for the Constitution whenever something they WANT or deem an ENTITLEMENT is in jeopardy. Man oh man, they can suddenly recite chapter and verse faster than an evangelist at a tent revival.
Ha anyone heard this?
And how COULD They cut their pay PRE_shutdown??????
If this POS so-called CIC vetoes military pay - especially in time of war - he should be kicked to the curb - at the very least.
I cannot express my utter disdain for this cretin in the WH. And now he's super mad - his umpteenth vacation has been interfered with! How DARE government get in the way of his fun!
...says in its lawsuit that the administration has violated the Constitution's appropriations clause and the 13th Amendment by requiring employees to work without pay during a federal closure.Careful what you wish for, AFGE.
You just can’t make up stuff this crazy .
The military does not get paid in advance for services rendered. So I don’t believe they would get half a paycheck for money already earned.
there aint no military payday unitl next Friday
then it might be half if there is a shut down today- they’ll get paid for 1-8 April
We need to get rid of all Union Federal workers & then start on the rest of the Union workers. They think they are better than the rest of us & I’m really fed up. They should start paying for their medical like the rest of us. Our premiums keep going up & with no cost of living we are getting further & further behind.
You guys okay with the military being stiffed?
And it's already in the works - pre-emptively.
name me one other time this administration has been so ‘efficient” = even this budget is LAST YEARS that they never passed - even tho’ they are required to pass a budget each year.
So they ignored the law last year, never passed a budget - now they're wrangling over it - a year LATE - yet they've already implemented the military pay cut ahead of a shutdown?
Name one other thing they've ever done ON TIME - let alone ahead of time.
We have a CIC who HATES this country and DEPISES our military.
I'm not okay with that.
or
No doubt this is being done as “payback”. Anything to make the GOP look bad. They’ll pay themselvs but not pay the soldiers.
And sadly, almost half the people in this country will blame everyone but the kenyan. As I’ve said before, I have kinfolk who love this guy and we don’t talk anymore.
If I was in the military and in the U.S. I’d go home and say “Call me when you decide to pay me.” I really don’t think there’s anything they could do to me. Then as I’ve said, I wouldn’t serve this president or these liberals.
The Roman army knew how to deal with Senators and Emperors who would not pay them.
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