Arnold Scott, National Vice President of District 6 for the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss challenges federal workers may face under the new Trump Administration. Scott, shared insights on the union's strategy to protect jobs and services in the face of proposed budget cuts and workforce restructuring.
Scott serves as the National Vice President for AFGE's District 6, representing federal employees in Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky. He emphasized the nonpartisan nature of federal employees and their dedication to serving the American people regardless of which party holds the presidency. However, he expressed concern over the Trump Administration's plans to downsize the federal government, potentially slashing $2 trillion in spending.
Scott warned that such drastic cuts could devastate critical programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Challenging the narrative of an inefficient government, Scott pointed out a significant disparity. According to Scott, federal contractors receive over $750 billion per year from the federal budget, while approximately $200 billion goes to the federal workforce. Scott said this data reinforces the thought that reducing the federal workforce would not be the best path forward.
One of the most pressing concerns Scott addressed was the potential revival of Schedule F, a Trump-era policy that he said would make it easier to fire federal workers. Scott explained that while the Biden Administration had halted this initiative, its potential return poses a significant threat to the job security of government employees. Scott outlined AFGE's strategy which includes developing bipartisan relationships, educating the public on the value of federal workers and advocating for a closer examination of contractor spending. Scott reframed the conversation around government efficiency, suggesting that instead of cutting jobs, policymakers should focus on addressing tax evasion, which causes the government to fail to collect nearly $1 trillion in taxes every year.
For more on AFGE's efforts to protect federal jobs and services, listen to the full episode above and visit afge.org for additional resources and information.
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