John,

Since Congress shut down on September 30, federal workers have either been off the job or working without pay. Tomorrow, they will miss their first paycheck.

Instead of negotiating an end to the shutdown, Donald Trump and his administration have threatened mass firings, even pledging to renege on a law he signed to guarantee backpay to workers after a shutdown. Trump sees a path to political victory through punishing the workers who keep Social Security working, who make sure our water is safe to drink, and who take care of our veterans.

The people who are working at Social Security offices, still making sure seniors’ checks go out on time, won’t get their own check this week. Their bills didn’t stop. The rent is still due, and they still have families who need to eat. We need solidarity, not charity.

Our friends at the Labor Force are distributing grocery cards to federal workers during this shutdown. Can you pitch in to buy a load of groceries this week?

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Instead of negotiating an end to the shutdown, Donald Trump and his administration have threatened mass firings, even pledging to renege on a law he signed to guarantee backpay to workers after a shutdown. Trump sees a path to political victory through punishing the workers who keep Social Security working, who make sure our water is safe to drink, and who take care of our veterans.

Trump has spent all year attacking federal workers―from attempting to dismantle the federal worker union to teaming up with Elon Musk to order mass firings, it’s an obsession for him. This shutdown is just the latest step.

The people who are working at Social Security offices, still making sure seniors’ checks go out on time, won’t get their own check this week. Their bills didn’t stop. The rent is still due, and they still have families who need to eat. We need solidarity, not charity.

If you’re buying groceries for your family this weekend, and you can afford it, can you pitch in to make sure that the federal workers under attack from Trump eat too?

In solidarity,

Michael Phelan
Social Security Works