The following statement may be attributed to Héctor Figueroa, President of 32BJ SEIU:

“We are deeply disappointed that a final deal did not include back pay for the thousands of federally-contracted workers who lost pay during President Trump’s ill-fated 35 day-long shutdown. Despite promising back pay, Trump went back on his word and cruelly said he would refuse a deal that included back pay for janitors, security officers and food service workers who live paycheck to paycheck. President Trump is twisting the knife in the back of workers who are still recovering from the shutdown. Once again, working people will pay the price for President Trump’s hateful agenda.

“We will continue to fight for the back pay that hardworking cleaners, security officers and other federally-contracted workers deserve. The fight is far from over and there are two ways that back pay can still happen. The OMB can direct payment to the contractors to ensure the workers are made whole. Or the Congress can pass the bipartisan, Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019, sponsored by Senator Tina Smith and Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, which ensures back pay for contracted workers.

“While we are relieved that there will not be another disastrous shutdown, the budget bill contains bitter pills for contracted workers and immigrants alike—two groups made to suffer casualties inflicted by President Trump and his supporters in Congress.”

With nearly 170,000 members in eleven states and Washington, D.C., 32BJ SEIU is the largest property service workers union in the country
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