On Jan. 23, APWU officers joined together with protestors from the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), National Federation of Federal Employees (NFFE), SEIU, and other unions in a sit-in at the Hart Senate office building in Washington, D.C., demanding the re-opening of the federal government.  

Hundreds of protestors engaged in a silent, 33-minute sit-in action (one minute for each day of the shutdown).

APWU’s Greater Los Angeles Area Local joined United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) on the picket line last week, offering support to fellow public-sector workers during the week-long strike that ended Tuesday morning.

“It’s important to support each other in solidarity,” said Greater Los Angeles Area Local President Dominic Davis. “Teachers were out in full force, side by side with us in solidarity, during the Stop Staples campaign. We’re so closely aligned with them, with both of us going through negotiations [now], so it was important to show our support.”

The United States is in the midst of the longest government shutdown – with 800,000 government employees locked out of their jobs. Thousands are currently forced to work without pay. Make no mistake: federal employees’ pay is being held hostage as the White House and Congress lock horns over federal funding.

President Mark Dimondstein is asking APWU members to contact their Senators, telling them that they shouldn’t use federal employees’ pay as a bargaining tool over policy issues.

The APWU joins the country today in honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a dedicated champion for the civil rights and labor movements. Dr. King’s actions still resonate in the hearts of labor and civil rights activists.