AFSCME’s Saunders: This is a blatant attempt to hold federal workers hostage, instead of addressing an imminent extreme increase in ACA premiums for 22 million Americans

WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement after the Office of Management and Budget threatened mass firings of federal workers in the event of a federal government shutdown:

“After slashing public services nationwide and stripping away health care from millions of people, the Trump administration is now threatening to use a potential federal government shutdown to carry out mass firings. This is a blatant attempt to hold federal workers hostage, instead of addressing an imminent extreme increase in ACA premiums for 22 million Americans. These cynical threats of mass firings, if they occur, will further hurt public services not only at the federal level, but states, cities and towns too. At a time when Americans face a crisis in health care, this administration is choosing to escalate the turmoil by attacking the federal workforce instead of coming to its senses and lowering health care costs for working families. America’s workers are not expendable pawns to be used for crass political purposes. The path forward is clear: Fund the government. Stop health care costs from spiking. Period.”