North Texas union members stand against government shutdown as mass firings begin

North Texas unrest as gov shutdown leads to firings

The White House budget office says mass firings of federal workers are now underway. Those long-promised layoffs started on day 10 of the shutdown: The same day some federal workers got partial payment for work they've already done.

WASHINGTON - The White House budget office says mass firings of federal workers are now underway. Those long-promised layoffs started on day 10 of the shutdown: The same day some federal workers got partial payment for work they've already done.

Mass federal firings

It's not clear how many federal workers got pink slips today, but many departments are now reporting layoffs.

North Texas Congressman Marc Veasey stands with labor unions slamming the shutdown.

The Trump Administration is using the shutdown to continue what started in January: Scaling back the size of the federal government.

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How the government shutdown will impact the economy

The partial shutdown of the federal government could have an economic impact, although it's unlikely to have a significant impact based on past shutdowns.

With the shutdown showing no signs of ending, a social media announcement by Russell Vought, the Office of Management and Budget Director says "the RIFs have begun."

‘Absolutely disgusted’

What they're saying:

"I was absolutely disgusted this morning when I saw Russ Vought, who is the OMB head, when he said simply 'the RIFs have begun,'" Veasy said Friday.

Veasey was part of a news conference Friday with outraged labor groups.

Rep. Marc Veasey

Some 1,600 TSA officers in Dallas-Fort Worth, 45,000 across the country, have been working without pay during the shutdown.

"And they are currently making decisions about what they're going to pay, how they're going to pay it, and how they're going to continue to get to work during this government shutdown," said TSA Council 100's Johnny Jones. 

Jones is angry at messages the administration is posting on government websites.

"You'll see it right on the top. ‘The government is closed due to the radical left.’ That is ridiculous," Jones said. "The American people are being ripped off by what we have in our country right now, which I can't even believe is going on."

TSA officers, like the nation's 14,000 air traffic controllers, are considered essential.

Government shutdown slows airports in DFW

The government shutdown is causing staffing issues at air traffic control towers... and there's no deal in sight.

"Just two days ago, the head of the FAA just threatened air traffic control workers that if they did not show up for work, which they're working for free. They will get fired. What are we doing here as a movement? Because if they fire them, who are they coming for next?" said Tevita Uhatafe with the Tarrant County Labor Council.

'It's a somber day'

The other side:

"Day 10 of the government shutdown. We're not in a good mood here in the Capitol. It's a somber day," said Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana).

Not only the first round of layoffs, but the first partial payments to federal workers. Johnson says these are because of Democratic obstruction over demands to preserve health care subsidies.

"For many of them, this is about showing a fight to President Trump. They have to show a fight against Republicans," Johnson said.

Veasey calls it a Republican shutdown that is going to affect every part of the economy, from dry cleaners to the State Fair. 

"You cannot reduce the paychecks and pause the paychecks or stop the paychecks of over 130,000 people, including full-time and contractor work, and think it's not going to have an impact on our local economy. Because it absolutely is," Veasey said.

What's next:

About the layoffs, Trump was asked earlier this week how many federal jobs would be eliminated.

His reply then was if this keeps going, it'll be substantial, and a lot of those jobs will never come back.