WASHINGTON — A growing coalition of labor unions representing millions of American workers is calling on Senate Democrats to vote for the clean continuing resolution (CR) and end the Democrat Shutdown that has left federal employees unpaid, flights grounded, and commerce slowed across the country.
Even organizations that have traditionally supported Democrat candidates are now breaking ranks — urging immediate action to reopen the government and protect working families.
FEDERAL WORKERS UNION — 800,000 MEMBERS
American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) — the largest union representing federal employees with a long history of supporting Democrat candidates including Kamala Harris — has publicly called for Congress to “pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today.”
AFGE National President Everett Kelley: “A strong America requires a functioning government — one that pays its bills, honors its commitments, and treats its workforce with respect by paying them on time. The path forward for Congress is clear: Reopen the government immediately under a clean continuing resolution that allows continued debate on larger issues.”
AFGE represents over 800,000 men and women serving the public every day — veterans, law enforcement officers, border agents, and civilian defense workers — who have now gone weeks without a paycheck because of the Democrat Shutdown.
PILOT UNIONS — 100,000 MEMBERS
The Coalition of Airline Pilots Associations (CAPA), the NetJets Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots (NJASAP), and the Allied Pilots Association (APA) each issued statements on October 23 calling on Congress to pass the clean CR to reopen the government. Their statements followed a similar endorsement the previous day from the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA).
Together, these organizations represent roughly 100,000 commercial airline pilots. Their call for action comes as the shutdown continues to strain air traffic staffing, delay inspections, and threaten safety operations nationwide.
REMINDER: Shutdown Chaos Spreads Across America’s Skies…
- The Department of Transportation reports that 53% of all flight delays are now caused by staffing shortages — up from about 5% under normal conditions.
- Flights into Los Angeles International Airport — the nation’s fifth-busiest — were stopped this past weekend because of an air traffic controller shortage.
- Between October 18 and 20, roughly 19,000 flights were delayed and 1,600 were canceled nationwide.
- At Hollywood Burbank Airport in California, the control tower was unstaffed for six hours, forcing pilots to self-coordinate takeoffs and landings — an unprecedented safety breakdown.
- The U.S. Travel Association estimates the shutdown is costing the travel economy more than $1 billion per week in lost activity.
TEAMSTERS UNION — 1.3 MILLION MEMBERS
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters, representing more than 1.3 million truck drivers and logistics workers, has also called on the Senate to immediately pass the clean CR and reopen the government.
Economists estimate the Democrat Shutdown is cutting 0.1 to 0.2 points off U.S. economic growth each week, driven by lost productivity and reduced consumer spending. That means slower shipments, rising costs, and mounting pressure on working families.
EVEN UNIONS IN SCHUMER’S BACKYARD ARE DEMANDING AN END TO THE SHUTDOWN
THE BOTTOM LINE
Together, these unions represent over 2 million American workers — from the federal workforce to the pilots who keep our skies safe to the truck drivers who move America’s goods.
They’ve made their position clear:
- Pass the clean CR.
- End the Democrat Shutdown.
- Let the American economy get back to work.
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