In a surprise announcement this week, the Department of Defense (DoD) announced that it would reduce the number of mandatory employee furlough days from 22 to 14.
The announcement came after DoD reviewed new funding changes included in the recently-passed continuing resolution. Due to a revised allocation of funds between accounts, the Department was able to reduce the number of furloughs required for hundreds of thousands of DoD personnel. With 14 furlough days still on the calendar, however, the announcement fell sadly short of the mark.
“Fourteen days of furloughs are fourteen days too many,” said NFFE National President William R. Dougan. “Cutting a few furlough days here and there does not go far enough. These employees want to work. They want to contribute to the mission. Instead they are being forced to stay home without a paycheck. DoD took a good first step, but there is still a long way to go.”
Absent action by Congress and the Administration, it is unlikely DoD can reduce furlough days even further. This means that federal workers and their union representatives need to make some noise to get elected officials to put a stop to the furloughs. Call your members of Congress (on your own time, using your own phone) using the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and tell them the furloughs have got to go!