Statement by Seven Mountains AFL-CIO regarding recent executive attacks on the federal service
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 7, 2025
Media Contact:
[email protected]
The following statement can be attributed to President Connor Lewis, on behalf of the Chapter:
“We are aware of and deeply disturbed by the announcement that DOGE has directed the sudden and immediate closure of two federal offices in Centre County. This shocking decision, along with today’s illegal termination of the collective bargaining agreement between the American Federation of Government Employees and the Transportation Security Administration, represent grave threats to both federal workers and our community.”
“According to an analysis conducted by the Economic Policy Institute, approximately 1% of the County’s workforce is employed by the federal government providing a range of essential services, from Wage and Hours enforcement, to our VA Clinic, to the TSA staff at State College Regional Airport. Attacking those employees, nearly a third of whom are veterans of our armed services, is a disservice to their commitment to serving the American public and a threat to community access to essential federal services.”
“It is unclear how this will impact local federal workers, all of whom have been ordered to report to the nearest federal office even if they have long-standing telework arrangements. Unelected billionaires issuing such an order, and then eliminating federal offices across the country, is stunning incompetence, cruelty, or both.”
“It is also unclear whether employees in local offices will still have federal employment, and whether there will be a pathway for them to continue their public service. We thank Governor Shapiro for his swift action to ensure that federal employees are afforded opportunities to continue service with our Commonwealth, and applaud local governments, such as Allegheny County, for taking the lead in connecting federal workers with job opportunities at the county and local levels.”
“We have been in communication with representatives of the American Federation of Government Employees. Our Chapter has actively reached out to Representative Thompson’s office with a request for additional information to help clarify these questions for our community and the impacted workers. We will continue to reach out to elected officials for sorely needed answers, and will stand in unwavering solidarity with federal sector unions and union members.”
“Working families have had enough of DOGE overreach and governmental chaos. We hope that the Representative and other elected representatives will help provide needed clarity, and will advocate their constituents over unelected billionaires.”
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Seven Mountains AFL-CIO is the local voice of the national American Federation of Labor and College of Industrial Organizations (“AFL-CIO”) and a Chapter of the Central Pennsylvania Area Labor Federation, representing 16,000 members of union households in Centre, Huntingdon, Mifflin, and Juniata counties.