Unions rally to protest debt ceiling impasse, furloughs

Public sector unions held a rally on Capitol Hill on Thursday to protest the debt ceiling impasse and furloughs at the Federal Aviation Administration.

"Look at this debt crisis we're in, and what a crisis it is," John Gage, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, told a large crowd gathered at the base of the Capitol on Thursday afternoon. "It is totally manufactured. What is on the table is an embarrassment," he shouted, referring to lawmakers' attempts to craft a deal that avoids a government default and reduces the deficit over the long term.

Gage told the group that he didn't intend to lose any more battles on behalf of federal workers. "We're drawing the line on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Tell me we are not going back," he said, amid chants of "We're not going back," from the crowd.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents FAA workers, also participated in the rally. The agency furloughed 4,000 employees after lawmakers failed to reach a last-minute agreement last week on a stopgap funding measure for the agency. "It's dangerous to put hardworking federal employees in the middle of congressional battles," said an FAA employee who spoke at the rally, pointing out the widespread impact the furloughs would have on employees, including working mothers and homeowners who are "one paycheck away" from losing their homes.

Sens. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., have introduced legislation that would allow furloughed FAA employees to return to work with full pay and benefits until Congress can agree on funding. Air traffic control systems have remained in operation during the furlough, and employees doing those jobs are receiving full pay. FAA is funded both by the Airport and Airways Trust Fund and the Treasury Department. Operations functions, such as air traffic control, are covered by both accounts and have continued despite the shutdown.

Rally participants also decried the congressional imbroglio over raising the debt ceiling. Some AFGE employees carried signs that read "Dump Boehner's Raw Deal," referring to House Speaker John Boehner's two-step plan to raise the debt limit while cutting spending. That plan remains in flux, as does the proposal offered by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. Neither version is likely to include immediate cuts to federal pay and benefits. The House is expected to approve a final strategy Thursday evening; the Senate will take it up and probably reject it right after the House vote.

Several lawmakers, including Rep. Donna Edwards, D-Md., spoke during the rally, vowing to protect programs like Social Security and Medicare and hold the government accountable. "You cannot allow the U.S. to default on its responsibility to our obligations," she said. Edwards' district includes many federal employees.