Federal Government Shut-Down: What's at Stake / Upcoming Actions - 1

As you may know, the federal government is shut down, meaning "non-essential" and "non-national security-related" work has stopped, workers have been put on furlough, or are working without pay. Everyone from our troops to other federal workers are not getting paid and services have stopped. This has impacted our AFSCME members in federal service, but also some of our Council 5 members here in Minnesota like our members in Disability Determination Services (DDS) within the MN Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). We will fight for them!

No matter whether a politician is a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent - we will hold them equally accountable to the shared values of all working people to ensure we live in safe communities, fight for equitable and affordable health care, and push for fully-funded services.

Why is this happening?

Greedy corporations and billionaires who refuse to pay their fair share were given massive tax cuts and in order to pay for these tax cuts, the House, Senate, and White House cut Medicaid by nearly $1 trillion, cut rural hospital funding, and provided massive tax cuts for rich heirs and heiresses, private jet owners, and others who don't need it. All while cutting life-saving services to working families. So, lawmakers are fighting to hold the line on restoring these funding cuts, stop the looting of our country by billionaires, fund public services, and to reopen the government.

Leaders in the House, Senate, and White House refuse to hear the call from working people to:

EXTEND the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits so that millions of Americans won't see skyrocketing insurance premiums;
REPEAL the massive cuts to Medicaid that are already forcing the closure of rural hospitals and clinics in Minnesota and across the country; and
STOP letting greedy corporations and billionaires loot our country's wealth and forcing workers to pay for their tax cuts.

Here are some highlights of what is going on and what we are doing -

Our AFSCME International Union has filed a lawsuit against the Director of the Office of Management and Budget for unlawfully and improperly working to terminate and lay off federal workers during the shutdown. Many of them are our union members. Click here to read more.
Click here to access a factsheet describing how insurance premiums will absolutely skyrocket for tens of thousands of Minnesotans if Congress doesn't extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits for working people. This document highlights the effects by Congressional District.
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) leadership has taken down nearly their entire website, leaving our union organizers, field reps, and members without access to critical resources and efficient filing systems to file and process Unfair Labor Practices and other items as we have before. This also means private sector workers do not have access to resources, handouts, flyers, and other informational materials so they can know their rights and not be taken advantage of. We are also told the NLRB will delay hearings, representation elections, and more.
If you need any of these resources, contact your Field Representative and we will try and find the information you need while their website is taken down.
If there is an imminent threat to the safety of human life or property as a result of a violation of the National Labor Relations Act, you can still contact them by telephone at (202) 273-1000, by email at EmergencyContact@NLRB.gov or by FAX at (202) 273-4483

How you can help. We must 'Get Organized'!

Billionaires and anti-union extremists have been working hard to take power away from us. They harass us by sending mail to our home and bombarding our emails with lies to try and scare workers into dropping their union membership. These are the same billionaire-funded groups that are fighting to slash the budgets we rely on to do our jobs.

We cannot let them win and steal more wealth that belongs to WORKERS. We're taking a stand and taking action.

Take Action and fight for health care that is under direct attack, support candidates who support OUR values, and fight for initiatives that will improve our workplaces.

UPCOMING EVENTS/ACTIONS:

Labor Day of Action door knocks for our very own Council 5 Secretary and Local 221 member Louis McNutt who is running for the Special Election in Senate District 29. October 4th and 5th from 1-4pm. Sign-up Link.
TONIGHT, October 3rd; 4-5pm - Fight back closure of Northridge Clinic in North Mankato. Sign-up Link
HANDS OFF protest every Friday. 4-5:30pm- Northfield. Sign-up Link.
Rally to fight back against clinic closures. October 14; 4-5:30pm - Owatonna. Sign-up Link.
Duluth Right to Repair Rally. October 21; 4pm. Duluth Labor Temple. Council 5 members will speak.
VOTE YES for St. Paul Public Schools levy campaign door knock; October 25; 11 AM; 270 Lexington Ave N, Saint Paul.