FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Matt Dorsey
(202) 550-6987
October 1, 2025
Washington, D.C. – Today, the National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), a union representing 110,000 federal workers nationwide, is urging Congressional leaders and the White House to immediately begin negotiating in good faith to reach a bipartisan funding deal that will swiftly end the government shutdown that began just after midnight this morning.
“Once again, the dedicated federal employees who keep this country running are being used as political pawns in a reckless power struggle,” said NFFE National President Randy Erwin. “These are the workers keeping our military ready, caring for our cherished veterans, maintaining homeland security, protecting our national forests, parks, and other public lands, guaranteeing clean air and clean water, safe food and safe air travel, secure borders and secure passports, and performing countless other essential services vital to the American people.
“I am disgusted that federal employees – hard-working middle-class folks, nearly one-third of whom are veterans – are being treated like dirt by our elected leaders who cannot seem to do their jobs and get reach an agreement on spending. With this government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are going to have their pay suspended while being furloughed or made to work without pay until the shutdown ends. Many federal employees live paycheck-to-paycheck and cannot sustain any period of suspended pay without enduring significant hardship. This shutdown must come to an end soon.
“To make matters worse for federal employees, the Trump Administration issued a memo directing agencies to consider widespread firings due to the shutdown. The law is very clear that this Administration has no new authority to engage in mass layoffs during a government shutdown. This means the Administration is either planning to violate the law yet again or it is using this opportunity to frighten and antagonizing America’s dedicated civil service workers. Both reasons are appalling and completely unacceptable.
“Congress and the White House need to do their jobs and get a funding bill passed. Generally, that process requires negotiation with the other party. It generally requires some compromise. Get the decision-makers in a room, engage in meaningful discussions, and get a deal done. The American people deserve better than this.”