WASHINGTON, D.C., USA — Three Congress members want answers about delayed back pay after the nation’s longest partial government shutdown.
A spokesperson for Rep. Jennifer Wexton’s office tells WUSA a large amount of furloughed and excepted government employees are having issues getting back the full money owed to them.
Wednesday, the union sent a loud message by staying quiet. They held a large moment of silence inside the Hart Senate Office building. It lasted 35 minutes to mark the 35 days they went without pay during this last partial government shutdown.
In the crowd was the American Federation of Government Employees Union President, his union members and people belonging to at least two others unions.
The National AFGE President shouted, “If they do it again, (I) make a promise all 100 senators, all 435 members of the House of Representatives, you will see us in your office everyday – 7 days a week!”
The protest comes just hours after a new push to get answers. Virginia Representatives Jennifer Wexton and Gerry Connolly and Maryland’s Elijah Cummings wrote to two White House offices after complaints were made about back pay.
A spokesperson from Wexton’s office tells WUSA9 a “sizable” number of those complaints came from AFGE government employees. We’re told the union represents around 30,00 employees in the greater DC area alone. On it’s website, AFGE says it has 310,000 dues-paying members and represents 700,000 federal and D.C. government employees.
A NASA shop Stewart with the union told WUSA 9 over the phone, he got paid but not the full amount. Some were apparently told anything withheld would come through in the 3rd and 4th pay periods after the government shutdown.
This all just all means further financial complications for those government workers.
The Congress members asked the Office of Management and Budget, and the Office of Personnel Management to respond by February 26th. Around 800,000 Federal workers were hit but the 35-day government shutdown.
You can view the letter here.