Dem-Led Union Breaks Party Lines To End Shutdown

“It’s past time to end this shutdown.”

That’s not from President Trump. It’s not from any media pundit. Those were the words from the leader of one of the most powerful and historically Left-leaning labor unions in the country, the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), demanding that this shutdown end now. This union includes federal workers within Veteran Affairs, the Social Security Administration, and the Department of Homeland Security.

As reported in the New York Post:

The largest union of federal workers publicly implored lawmakers to approve a temporary funding bill to end the ongoing government shutdown, ramping up pressure on Democrats to abandon their healthcare demands.

“Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight,” American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett Kelley declared in a statement.

“It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship.”

 

Congressional Republicans have attempted 12 TIMES to pass a “clean” resolution that would fund the government through November 21, allowing the government more time for debate and, in a perfect world, to find a longer-term fix. Sadly, what we’ve seen from many, or at least the most vocal, on the Left is that cooperation is going to be hard to come by.

But when you’ve lost one of the largest labor unions, which has traditionally traveled in lockstep with the Democrat party, it might be time to check the ice beneath your feet, because it’s surely getting thin. And politicians depend on financial support for their campaigns from such unions. Will the far Left Members of Congress really ignore their message and risk potential support in 2026 and beyond?

The AFGE represents federal workers across the board – from TSA agents to VA nurses to food safety inspectors. Their statement reminds everyone that these workers“ensure our skies are safe, our veterans receive care, our borders are protected, and our food is inspected.”

And this is a union that endorsed both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and has long been aligned with progressive politics. And yet even they’re now saying enough is enough.

The longer this shutdown drags on, the more real the pain becomes for everyday Americans. We’re talking about military families needing food banks. TSA officers, IRS employees, USDA inspectors – people who keep the country running – are now going weeks without pay.

When the government shuts down, it doesn’t just hurt bureaucrats. It trickles down – to farmers waiting for USDA approvals, to contractors with frozen federal permits, to local economies where those government paychecks get spent.

One caller into the show broke down explaining how his wife, who is a furloughed IRS worker, had to visit a food bank for the first time so they could have enough food for the week. They’re praying they can somehow keep up with their mortgage. It’s not a good look.

That’s the kind of frustration that crosses party lines. You don’t have to be a Republican, a Democrat, or even particularly political to recognize how unfair this is. And it is that growing frustration from union halls to grocery stores that’s starting to boil over. The shutdown has gone on for nearly a month. People are hurting. Businesses are starting to feel it. And now, even core far-Left allies are saying it’s time to move on.

Even Senator John Fetterman (PA) has urged his colleagues to agree to end this shutdown, calling it an “easy, easy choice to pick my country over party, especially in circumstances like this.” Of course, his far-Left colleagues have already begun turning on him for being willing to work with the other side. If Washington can’t get its act together now, it’s not just risking political fallout – it’s risking the faith of the American people in the entire system. As AFGE’s president put it: “No half measures. No gamesmanship. End the shutdown today.”

That’s not a conservative talking point. That’s not a far-Left slogan. That’s common sense. And it’s about time someone in Washington listened.

 Today’s Sekulow broadcast included more discussion of this surprising statement from the union and what it could mean for the shutdown or for the Democrat Party if it doesn’t heed the warning. We were also joined on the broadcast by ACLJ Associate Counsel Liam Harrell to provide an update on a preacher who received a citation for sharing his message of hope outside an abortion clinic in Georgia.