Dem-Aligned Union Breaks Ranks, Demands End To Govt Shutdown

The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the nation’s largest federal workers’ union, is once again applying political pressure in Washington, demanding that Democrats abandon their current negotiating stance and pass a clean funding measure to end the government shutdown.

AFGE President Everett Kelley, whose union represents more than 800,000 federal and D.C. government employees, urged Congress to reopen the government immediately under a short-term continuing resolution and ensure full back pay for federal employees, both those who have been furloughed and those forced to work without pay.

The federal employees’ union is no friend of President Trump and even they agree: pass a clean CR and reopen the government.

Democrats’ political posturing needs to end. https://t.co/BU2H8N35qb

— Sarah Huckabee Sanders (@SarahHuckabee) October 27, 2025

“It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today. No half measures, and no gamesmanship. Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay — today,” Kelley said in a statement.

“Senate Democrats have insisted that they won’t vote to reopen the government without a commitment from Republicans and President Donald Trump on extending health care subsidies through the Affordable Care Act, which are set to expire at the end of the year,” NBC News noted.

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While AFGE frames the shutdown as a purely humanitarian issue, the union has a long history of political alignment with the Democratic Party. It endorsed Joe Biden in 2020 and has participated in Democratic-aligned protests, including demonstrations against President Donald Trump. AFGE has also taken legal action to enforce its agenda, suing over Trump-era mass layoffs and claiming partisan messaging unfairly blamed Democrats for previous shutdowns. AFGE also has a checkered past, with numerous officials convicted or pleading guilty to corruption offenses.

Kelley’s statement portrays federal workers as innocent victims caught in political crossfire, highlighting employees from the TSA, the Army, and the USDA who are working without pay while struggling to cover basic expenses. “These are patriotic Americans—parents, caregivers, and veterans—forced to work without pay because of political disagreements in Washington. That is unacceptable,” Kelley wrote.

The union’s demand for a “clean” continuing resolution — without conditions or policy negotiations — effectively undercuts Democrats’ negotiating leverage and aligns with Republicans’ repeated calls to fund the government immediately. As the standoff approaches a full month, AFGE’s demands illustrate the growing tension between the federal workforce and the Democratic Party.