Correctional Officers take on Government Shutdown
Anger. Stressed. Trapped. Disappointed. These are just a few words that describe how government employees felt, during one of the longest government shutdowns in history. What was the reason for this shutdown? When government employees were asked what they believed to be the cause for the longest shutdown in United States history, they firmly stated that it was due to President Trump’s arrogance, prolonging the wait to receive funding for the wall on the Mexican border. Due to his lack of ability to take leadership during one of many meetings, he created a 35-day problem for over 400,000 government employees.
Majority of these government employees were angry and disappointed because they felt as though they were being used as pawns for the benefit of the President, due to Trump and Congress not coming to an agreement on the wall. In many ways, these people felt like they were lower than prostitutes because they were being pimped for 35 days by the president (having to work and not get paid for the dangerous jobs they must perform). Every day for 35 days having to put yourself
/life in danger and not receive any funds for your labor is obscured. It is a sad day in history when prisoners are making more money than the prison guards. Government employees should not have to live check by check working for the government, but you never know the situation that a person is facing in their private life.
When asked what was so stressful for them about the shutdown? Lenny and Herill said “Working and not getting paid was very stressful. You never knew when that next check was coming. If some families didn’t have second jobs, they would take out loans or call to the creditors and then explain why they couldn’t pay them their money on time for their bills or ask if a deal could be worked out so they could keep light and heat in their homes.”
I was later informed that those 400,200 employees were forced to come to work and not get paid along with not being about to receive assistance for necessities such as food for their families. With an additional 300,200 employees (department of human services, IRS, the Coastguard and a few other government organization’s) on furlough (home without pay and won’t be charged/won’t lose time for taking off for weeks). These employees unlike the others can collect unemployment and gain some assistance for unpaid bills and food for their families. One employee went as far as starting a GoFundMe, but his employers forced him to take it down.
With TSA employees making only $30,000 a year might bring home $20,000 a year have to pay to get to work home childcare. Federal bureau prison employees make only $60,000 a year and might bring home $40,000 to take care of a small family. With funding for these government jobs decreasing every year it is important that Congress and the current President can come to an agreement on budgeting /funding for the government and the country. Hopefully changes can be made so future employees won’t be used as pawns as a source to a solution that can be discussed among
Congress and future Presidents.