Government Unions Want Back Pay After Shutdown
4th October 2013
“The National Treasury Employees Union will be leading the fight to make that happen,” said the union’s president, Colleen Kelley. The NTEU represents IRS workers. AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, an ally of President Obama, stated, “As of today, it is clear that the Republican Party and the Tea Party have become one and the same when it comes to federal fiscal policy.” Matt Biggs, legislative director for the International Federation of Professional Technical Engineers, added, “We are trying to maintain pressure on this White House that in the event of a government shutdown, that any negotiated settlement includes an agreement that all federal employees — essential and non-essential alike — get paid when the government reopens.”
Of course. Being a government employee is all about getting paid for not working.