The Trump administration has refused to release more than $5 billion in SNAP contingency funds, a move unions say is an attempt to leverage hunger for political gain.
Families, educators, food shelves brace for SNAP cutoff: ‘This is a policy choice’
October 31, 2025 by
Unions decry Trump shutdown, urge health care fix
October 21, 2025 by
Federal workers’ unions are calling for an immediate end to the shutdown, while other labor unions are ramping up pressure on Trump and Republicans to negotiate a health-care fix with Senate Democrats.
Union members at No Kings: ‘We have to show solidarity’
October 20, 2025 by
“No Kings” was an opportunity to leverage the power of solidarity against Trump’s far-reaching attacks, and solidarity is something union members understand well.
McCollum, Craig hear workers’ shutdown stories – and safety concerns
January 19, 2019 by
“The labor community is going to stand with our brothers and sisters in the federal workforce,” St. Paul RLF President Bobby Kasper said, “and it’s reassuring to know we have friends in Congress who will do the same.”
Smith pledges to fight for federal workers as shutdown hits home
January 11, 2019 by
The senator met with impacted federal workers at the airport today and called on Republicans to put people before the president’s political stunts.
Retirees, federal workers to Paulsen: ‘Shutdown has to stop’
October 16, 2013 by
Leaders in the U.S. Senate today unveiled a bipartisan agreement to end the partial government shutdown and extend the nation’s borrowing authority, but doubts remain as to whether the compromise will pass the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. As the spotlight shifted to the House, federal employees, union leaders and retirees paid a visit to Minnesota […]
Expenses, stress mount for essential employees during Tea Party shutdown
October 15, 2013 by
Gloria Jones and May Sy Lawrence won’t get paid for doing their jobs until Tea Party Republicans in Congress get serious about doing theirs. Jones and Lawrence are essential federal employees – officially classified as “accepted employees.” As they have throughout the 15-day shutdown, they showed up for work today at the Social Security Administration […]
Shutdown a ‘lose-lose scenario’ for veterans, furloughed workers
October 8, 2013 by
Is Stanley Walton’s work essential? That depends on whom you ask. Walton was one of 7,000 “non-essential” employees furloughed by the U.S. Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) today. He and about 150 others reported to the Whipple Federal Building at Fort Snelling, where they were handed letters instructing them to stay home until lawmakers in Washington […]
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