The second Trump administration was largely characterized by focused efforts to reduce the number of federal employees.
Through Management Management and Department of Government Effective Effectiveness, Elon Musc very unusual resignation offers and dismissal To reduce labor in various agencies, including the Department of Education and the Veterans Department. Official number no how many people were fired but 62 530 public positions were cut So far this year, according to data published earlier this month from Global Formplacement Challenger, Grey and Christmas. Ahead is probably more cuts.
Trade unions have played a major role in the legal issues for mass firing federal workers. On Thursday, two separate rulings issued the order of the Trump administration to restore these employees. One resolution In response to 20 Democrats General Attacking, calling for the restoration of the fired workers, they came from a federal judge in Merilen. The second was removed A judge in the US District Court of Northern California in response to the case, launched by dozens of trade unions and propaganda groups. US District Judge William Elsup ordered six federal agencies to restore thousands of trial workers who were fired under the leadership of OPM and he declared illegal. Trump’s administration has already submitted Return in this case.
The US State, District and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) was one of the plaintiffs in this second task. The Union represents 1.4 million public service workers across the country in the federal, state and local authorities, as well as the non -profit sector. President AFSCME, Lee Sonders, talked with Wealth About the threat under which the public sector workers are, what its members feel, and how the union plans to fight back.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
Fortuna: What do members of AFSCM now feel?
President Sonders: They feel under attack. They believe in the importance of public services, and yet you see how they are attacked every day by the current administration.
They are frightened, but they also know they have to hear their voices and they have to fight, and that’s exactly what they do. Their union supports them 100%, talking about the importance of public service and challenging some things that this administration and May it be in the courtsOr is it in the media or it On the streets. We will continue to do this to make your point of view and convey your point of view.
AFSCME – one of the plaintiffs in undertaking Which just made the decision to restore the dismissed trial federal workers. Many see this as a victory for federal workers, but this ruling does not appearThe journey this week, set by the Trump administration, which requires all agencies to send the president and the plans of the APM for additional dismissed. What might the future look like these workers?
This is a great victory for these workers.
This will be challenged, but we will continue to impose full force of the union for the submission of such lawsuits. It really is important, but we also have to continue the hurt and not all the time playing defense and we will continue to do it. What we are doing now is the organization and mobilization and training of our members across the country, leading phone calls by going to the Town Hall.
One of the things we have to do is continue to organize. Seventy percent Americans believe that unions are absolutely necessary in this country and 88% Young people (view them benefit). We are going to spend resources, and we will talk to workers, asking them to represent us or other trade unions so that they take place at the table.
It seems that every day there is a new development related to DOGE layoffs. How would you advise people to follow the whirlwind?
I think it depends on AFSCME and the labor movement, as well as our allies and friends to keep talking about what this administration is trying to do to harm the working people. We need to enlist people in the working movement and on the borders of the labor to make their voices heard. We can’t just sit back and remain silent when this destruction – and this is exactly what it happens – happens at the federal level, (which will) move to the state and local level, with possible huge cuts in federal programs. State governments are counting on federal money to finance state -level programs; They’re going 33% from (their profit) from the federal government. This helps provide public services at the state, city and local level.
The point is to continue their studies. The whole point is not to be silent, but make their voices hear and fight as ever.
(Asked about a comment, the White House press reported Wealth: “President Trump returned to Washington with a mandate from the American people to bring unprecedented changes in our federal government to uprooting waste, fraud and abuse.”)
Elon Musk overcrowded Twitter, which means that the public sector workers are responsible for mass killings under people such as Hitler, Mao and Stalin. What are you making of this comment and attacks on the public sector workers at all?
I will try to control my language, but … this is a hated commentary for him (retvit), which compared our public sector workers and our members, saying that “Hitler, Stalin and Mao did not kill millions, but (their) public sector workers did.” Now think about it. That’s where it comes from and we have to get this message.
He has no idea that workers face every day. He has no idea what they do to improve the lives of our citizens in our communities across the country and improve public services, but it makes such a statement. I mean, this is incredible and we have to make sure that people understand what it is saying, and this is what people in this administration believe.
(Wealth reached for Elon Musk but did not receive an answer.)
How can trade unions protect workers if the government wants to dismiss them?
We file these lawsuits – this is the number one. We push, though we understand that the climate here in Washington, the Colombia county is not the best. But we still have to continue to go to the crime as I said earlier. We support Pro ActAs for the employees, the right to take place at the table to improve labor legislation in this country. We do the same with with Public freedom to negotiate the law for public service workers.
We have the opportunity to mobilize every day – to mobilize trade union members, but also workers who are not in unions in our communities across the country. Because it also affects them. The actions that propose have an impact on anyone who relies on public services: Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security. All these programs are attacked and we have to do what we do better and that’s exactly what we do.
This story against the public sector workers continued quickly and strongly. How do you fight the moods that come from those who have huge platforms such as Trump and Musk?
It is not just federal workers. It’s really all the workers. Now there is an attack on all workers. I guess I can answer this question, this is what reality is now hitting people in the face. I mean, they feel it. People are deposited indiscriminately. People will be fired. Their rights are taken into them. Services that the American people rely on, and they offer much more harm. So I mean, here’s the game book they talked about, and now they start the action, and we must make sure that people understand the influence that it will have on them and their families. You have to respond to this when we ask people to fight and make their voices hear. You can’t sit silently and watch it happens.
Originally this story was presented on Fortune.com
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2025-03-16 07:59:00
Sara Braun
