LIUNA Calls on Department of Defense to Immediately End Furloughs

Washington, D.C. (July 17, 2013) – Terry O’Sullivan, General President of LIUNA – the Laborers’ International Union of North America – made the following statement regarding the impact of sequestration furloughs on middle-class working families, including thousands of LIUNA members working at the Department of Defense:

“LIUNA members working at the Defense Department began to take their 11 furlough days this month.

“LIUNA represents the hard-working men and women who protect our national security every day in the Army, Air Force, Navy, Army Corps of Engineers, the Defense
Logistics Agency, the Defense Commissary Agency, and the National Guard. The majority of our members at the Defense Department are veterans. All serve their country honorably every day.

“Although the President appropriately exempted military personnel from the furloughs, one group of military personnel – the National Guard dual-status technicians – are still being furloughed. LIUNA calls on Congress to pass legislation – H.R. 1014 – to exempt these National Guard members from the furloughs.

“The furlough will result in a 20% pay cut for Defense workers. That cut is on top of a three-year pay freeze and pension cuts for new hires, while the cost of their health care continues to rise. The morale is at an all-time low for these workers, who dedicate their lives to keeping our nation secure.

“The Defense Department must find a way to come up with additional funds to end the furloughs immediately.”