Chicago federal workers speak out against layoffs

CHICAGO – Chicago unions are banding together as federal workers are cut.

“We are now faced with these chaotic and terrible onslaught on to workers from the federal government,” said Rinda West, co-chair of The Workers’ Rights Bord of Chicago Jobs With Justice.

Local unions recently hosted the first in a series of meetings. Their goal is to get the message out about these critical jobs that are on the chopping block.

“Employees were told they are required to respond to Elon Musk’s five things they did last week that justify keeping their jobs. They’re scared. They’re terrified. They don’t know if they’re going to be fired tomorrow. They don’t understand why their employer is doing this to them,” Jill Hornick, AFGE Social Security Administration, said.

Hornick represents workers from the Social Security Administration and said the office is already at a 50-year staffing low, and larger cuts will impact everyday life for many people.

“If social security makes a mistake and shortchanges you and the amount of money, that’s going to hurt you. Or if social security doesn’t have the staffing to process your application and it sits on someone’s desk for six months, that’s hurting you,” Hornick said.

The Office of Personal Management informed agency leaders that employee responses to Musk’s email would be voluntary, and that failure to reply would not be considered resignation.

However, President Donald Trump backed Musk’s demand on Monday, doubling down that if people don’t reply, they face being fired.

Workers like those from the Army Corps of Engineers in Chicago, said these cuts are two drastic and potentially dangerous.

“As one example, we have a flood control dam in Indiana,” said Colin Smalley, IFPT of Local 777. “If you fire all of the probationary employees there, they will be left with one mechanic and one park ranger. This is an operation tat runs 24/7, 365. They have to be there ready to operate the dam in the case of a flood event.”

Cuts won’t just hurt the 45,000 federal workers in the Chicago area alone. They will also hurt those in the private sector.

On Monday, attorneys representing unions, businesses, veterans and other organizations filed an updated lawsuit in federal court in California. They argued Musk violated the law by threatening mass firings.

The lawsuit called it “one of the most massive employment frauds in the history of this country.”