The head of a major New York City labor union called on congressional lawmakers Monday to pass a Republican-backed measure to end the 27-day-long government shutdown.
“On behalf of thousands of hardworking men and women in New York and our retirees, Steamfitters Local 638 of New York City and Long Island urges our political leaders to pass the clean continuing resolution so that the American people don’t bear the burden of Washington’s inaction,” Robert J. Bartels, Jr., the business manager of Steamfitters Local 638 New York, said in a statement.
“We need both parties to get back to work to ensure that government works for working people,” he added.
Steamfitters Local 638 has about 10,000 active and retired members throughout New York City and Long Island.
The union endorsed President Trump in the 2024 election.
“For too long now, Government shutdowns have become a normal part of the bargaining process in Washington DC,” Bartels said.
“While politicians from both parties stare each other down and play the ‘blame game,’ the American worker and taxpayer suffers,” he argued.
A House-passed stopgap funding measure that funds the government at current levels through Nov. 21 – a so-called clean continuing resolution – has been voted down 12 times by all but three Senate Democrats since the shutdown started, on Oct. 1.
Democratic leaders have instead demanded that Republicans make concessions on healthcare policy in exchange for reopening the government, but Trump and GOP leaders have refused to negotiate.
“The Democrat shutdown has generated economic uncertainty for our critical industries and unnecessary suffering for American families,” White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told The Post.
“The call to action is clear,” Rogers said of the Steamfitters’ statement. “Democrats must reopen the government through the passage of the clean continuing resolution.”
Earlier Monday, the largest union of federal workers similarly demanded that senators move forward with the clean continuing resolution – after 1.4 million government employees missed their first full paychecks last week.
“Both political parties have made their point, and still there is no clear end in sight,” American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) President Everett Kelley said in a statement.
“It’s time to pass a clean continuing resolution and end this shutdown today,” Kelley added. “No half measures, and no gamesmanship.”
A spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
