Feb. 11 (UPI) — Hundreds of members of the American Federation of Government Employees and their supporters gathered on Capital Hill Tuesday afternoon to “Rally to Save the Civil Service.”
The event was held in conjunction with the AFGE’s annual legislative conference and in opposition of President Donald Trump‘s plans to reduce the size of the federal government’s workforce.
“There are things we can streamline but we need to do it in a constructive and thoughtful way,” Office of Personnel Management worker Charlene Seon told WJLA.
“The chaos is making everyone crazy and reacting to it,” Seon said. “So that’s unfortunate. We should be working together and not against one another.”
House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., addressed the rally.
“The attack on you, the attack on the civil service, is unacceptable, unconscionable, un-American,” Jeffries said. “We will stand with you until you get the dignity and respect that you deserve.”
Jeffries was joined by Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., and other Democratic Party lawmakers to oppose the Trump administration’s efforts to reduce the size of the federal government and related wasteful spending.
The AFGE is among organizations filing legal challenges to stop the Department of Government Efficiency, DOGE Director Elon Musk and others from accessing federal records and to stop the Trump administration from paying federal workers to leave their jobs.
The union also would lose money if federal workers lose their jobs and no longer pay dues to the AFGE.