Matt Biggs, President of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), joined the America's Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the ongoing government shutdown's impact on federal workers, the union's legal challenges to executive orders stripping collective bargaining rights and the bipartisan legislative efforts to protect workers' rights.
The government shutdown, now in its fourth week, has left 2.1 million federal workers — including 34,000 IFPTE members — either working without pay or locked out of their jobs entirely. Biggs emphasized the irony that members of Congress continue receiving their paychecks, health care benefits and pension contributions while federal employees struggle to put food on the table. Unlike the 35-day shutdown six years ago, in Biggs’ opinion, this crisis is being deliberately weaponized by officials who have openly stated they want federal employees to "wake up every day and be traumatized at the idea of going to work."
Biggs discussed how the IFPTE is working to protect its members through legal and legislative channels. The union joined AFGE and AFSCME in a lawsuit challenging the illegal firing of federal workers during the shutdown. On the legislative front, Biggs highlighted the bipartisan Protect America's Workforce Act, led by Congressman Jared Golden of Maine and Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, which would overturn Trump's executive orders that illegally stripped collective bargaining rights from over a million federal employees. Additionally, language sponsored by Congressman Donald Norcross was added to the House Defense Authorization Act that would restore union rights for 770,000 Department of Defense workers, representing a significant victory if included in the final legislation.
Listen to the full episode to hear Biggs discuss how the IFPTE is helping members despite unprecedented challenges to their livelihoods and rights.
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