The White House announced layoffs of federal workers on Friday making googd on a danger it had mad in reply to US government shutdown which now set to stretch into third week.
Russell Vought the director of White House office of management and budget wrote ons social media that RIF have begun referring to government reduction in force procedure to let employees go.
A document filed with federal cour announce that hundreds of layoffs took place across executive branch including notices sent to employees at Department of Commerce the Department of Energy the Department of Education and others.
The document shows that almost 315 employees at Department of Commerce, 466 employees at Department of Education 187 employees at Department of Energy from 1100 to 1200 employees at Department of Health and Human Services 442 employees at Department of Housing and Urban Development 176 employees at Deparmten of Homeland Security and 1446 employees at Department of Treasury received RIF notices.
Donald Trump
Union leaders warned layoffs would have effects on services relied upon millions of Americans and pledged to challenge moves in court.
“It is disgraceful that Trump admin has used the government shutdown as excuse to illegally fire thousands of workers who provide critical services to communities across country”.
American service members starting next week many of whom live paycheck to paycheck are going to miss full paycheck.
Democrats do not end this shutdown by Monday then that October 15 date will pass us by.
Johnson has kept House out of session throughout the shutdown in attempt to Pressure Senate Democrats into helping the Republcian funding proposal.
A group of House Democrats sent speaker a letter asking him to allow vote on legislation that would ensure US army get paid during shutdown but Johnson has refused to bring lawmakers back to Washington.
The Senate has become chokepoint in funding fight because any legislation need 60 votes to advance in chamber.
In exchnage for their help Democratic senators ared demanding that premium tax credits for Affordable care Act healths.
Stier said
“It is wrong to make federal employees suffer because our leaders in Congress and White House have failed to keep government open and operational”
“Out air traffic controllers VA nurses smoke jumpers food inspectors are not responsible for government shutdown and they should not bear financial burden created by failures of elected officials.
The irony is members of Congress and senior White House leaders are continuing to be paid”
On 7 October federal Judge ordered the Trump admin to provide specifics on status of any layoff plans affected agencies and whether any federal employees have been recalledback to work to carry out layoff by Friday 10 October.
A report by center for American Progress on 30 september argued that government shutdown limits ability of Trump admin to carry our firings citing guidance from the office of management and budget admitted any layoffs need to have been start before shutdown start.
Constraints on firing federal employees during shutdown largely exist becuase of Antidefficiency Act and distinction between shutdown furloughs happend during lapse in congressional appropriations and admin furloughs which department and agency procedures on how to permanent let staff go including through RIF report authored by Greta Bedekovic.
The Trump admin threat to layoff federal employees should understood goal of admin that will be pursued without a government shutdown and should not drive lawmakers decision on whether to help government funding bills.
My expectation is yes they are going to start making some decision about how to move money money around which agencies and departments are going to be impacted which programs are going to be impacted which employees are goinf to be imapcted”
The AFL-CIO largest federation of labour union in US replied to Vought post on Friday adding America Union will see you in court”
The AFGE and American Federation of State County Muncipal Employees AFSCME filed for temporary restraining order to block Trump admin from carrying out any reduction in force RIFs during shutdown.
The unions filed an emergency motion for temporary restraining order on Friday following Vought post.
Less Saunders president of AFSCME said
These mas firings are illegal and will have devastating effects on service millions of Americans rely on every day.
Its food inspectors public safety workers or countless other public service workers who keep America running federal employees should not be bargaining chip in this admin political games.
Donald Trump
“By illegally firing these workers the admin is not targeting federal employees it is hurting their families and communites they serve every day.
We pursue every available legal avenue to stop admin unlawful attacks on public service workers freedom and jobs”
