The nation’s biggest federal worker union is promising to push back against the Trump administration’s plans to politicize and pare down the government’s workforce.
Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents 800,000 federal and Washington city employees, said the civil service was under threat. The union has been on the front line of resistance to President Donald Trump’s campaign to eliminate agencies and push out staffers, with thousands now out on paid leave.
Speaking Monday at AFGE’s annual legislative conference in Washington, Kelley said the union can’t be bullied unless they let the administration bully them.
“We cannot be silenced unless we fail to speak out. We can’t be weakened unless we cower in fear. And we can’t be toppled unless we fail to stand up for ourselves,” Kelley said as he rallied his members.
