WASHINGTON (BN24)— A deep split has emerged among U.S. labor unions over how to respond to the ongoing government shutdown, after the largest federal workers’ union threw its support behind a Republican funding bill this week. The move, seen as a break from the broader Democratic-aligned labor movement, has intensified political pressure on lawmakers and highlighted divisions within organized labor.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents hundreds of thousands of federal employees who have been furloughed or forced to work without pay during the shutdown, called for a “clean continuing resolution” to reopen the government. AFGE President Everett Kelley stated in a press release that both political parties had made their points, and it was time to act to end the shutdown immediately, even if that meant bypassing broader negotiations on healthcare and other policy issues.
Many of the nation’s top labor unions, however, expressed sharp disagreement with AFGE’s approach. They continue to back Democratic strategies that link reopening the government to protecting affordable healthcare and extending Obamacare subsidies, a stance labor analysts say reflects the movement’s broader commitment to social and worker protections.
Jaime Contreras, executive vice president of the 185,000-member Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ, acknowledged the pressures facing federal employees but criticized AFGE’s strategy. “They have to do what they have to do for their members,” Contreras told ABC News. “But it’s a false choice to say we need to give up affordable healthcare for millions of Americans to bring federal workers back to work,” Contreras noted that SEIU 32BJ represents about 2,400 federal contractors, including security officers and food-service staff, many of whom face lost wages during the shutdown.
Other major labor organizations voiced similar positions. AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, whose federation represents nearly 15 million workers nationwide, faulted President Donald Trump for attempting to divide federal workers from the larger labor movement. “As federal workers miss paychecks and line up at food banks, President Trump is more focused on pitting workers against each other than ending the shutdown,” Shuler said. “It’s time to fund the government, fix the healthcare crisis, and put working people first.”
United Steelworkers International President David McCall urged a balanced approach that prioritizes both essential government services and affordable healthcare, while the National Education Association, representing nearly 3 million educators, reaffirmed its support for linking funding to healthcare protections. Other unions, including the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees and the United Food and Commercial Workers, have expressed similar positions in previous statements.
Experts say the broader labor movement’s insistence on maintaining pressure on Democrats has likely reduced some of the political fallout from AFGE’s decision. “The federal unions aren’t the biggest players in the labor movement,” said Nelson Lichtenstein, a labor historian at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “Large parts of the rest of the labor movement are crying out for the Democrats to fight against the Trump administration and not give up. Despite these cracks, which are understandable, the labor movement is fairly united in its position on the shutdown.”
The White House has criticized Democrats for the ongoing impasse. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that while many federal employees might weather a single missed paycheck, extended furloughs could create “huge problems.” President Trump has called on Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster to pass a Republican funding bill, describing it as a “TRUMP CARD” solution to reopen the government.
The government shutdown, which entered its 30th day on Friday, shows no immediate signs of resolution. Senate Democrats have rejected the Republican funding bill 13 times, and the upper chamber is on recess until next week. Meanwhile, millions of federal employees, contractors, and their families remain without regular paychecks, as unions and lawmakers continue to navigate a tense standoff.
