TUCSON, Ariz.—Some 50 union members and supporters braved the Arizona heat last week to rally and march against the government shutdown and the GOP attacks on federal workers.
American Federation of Government Employees Legislative Political Director Ryan Mims condemned the attack on the public that threw thousands of local public employees out of work and forced others to work without pay while depriving the public of the services they provide.
Cecilia Valdez, Chair of the Pima Area Labor Federation, summed it up:
“Once again, President Trump and his allies have chosen chaos and suffering instead of a solution, forcing the country into a reckless government shutdown—all because they refuse to address the growing healthcare crisis.”
Valdez added that in Arizona, 34,460 federal workers will lose their jobs, and an estimated 342,564 people stand to lose their healthcare coverage if the Democrats in Congress and the movements outside Congress don’t stand firm.
Also speaking was southern Arizona’s congresswoman, Rep. Adelita Grijalva, a strong labor supporter who was recently elected.
Besides condemning the shutdown, speakers also condemned the inhumane ICE raids and the refusal of U.S House Speaker Mike Johnson to swear in Grijalva, who was elected last month by an overwhelming majority. Johnson’s action not only shields the GOP majority in Congress but also denies people in Grijalva’s district the constituent services that congressional offices provide.
Pima County Supervisor Andres Cano, AFSCME Local 449 President Marcelino Flores, and other Tucson labor leaders were also among those expressing their solidarity with furloughed federal workers.
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