Chicago's federal workers face uncertainty amid government shutdown

Impacts of the partial government shutdown are being felt across the country and here in Illinois, which has more than 153,000 federal workers.

About 1,000 of them work for the EPA’s Region 5 and are union members with the American Federation Of Government Employees Local 704.

“We care deeply about our work. We want to make sure we’re able to protect the people of the Great Lakes,” said Local 704’s president Nicole Cantello.

Cantello tells NBC Chicago the union was made aware there will be furloughs, but haven’t received specifics yet.

Much of the work members do is bringing lawsuits against alleged polluters of the air and water. Without her members reporting to work, she worries polluters won’t be held accountable, and that the damage could be long-term if the workers aren’t brought back by the government.

“They are so worried about losing their jobs” Cantello said of her union members. “There is the threat hanging over our heads from the Trump administration that not only will they furlough the employees but that while they are on furlough they will fire them.”

President Donald Trump’s budget director told House Republicans layoff notices for some federal workers could come out later this week.

The military, TSA, and air traffic controllers will continue working without pay for now. National Park workers including office staff are generally considered non-essentially and are expected to be furloughed, as are a quarter of the Department of Transportation’s staff.

Of Illinois’ federal workers, the City of Chicago has more than 33,000. Cook County has more than 58,000.

“We have people who are just trying to put food on the table who when they lose salary will cause a huge shift for them,” Cantello told NBC 5.

The Greater Chicago Food Depository, which supports more than 800 local pantries, tells NBC 5 that while the immediate impact of the shutdown will be minimal, the longer it lasts, the greater risk that poses to local food support programs.

See the GCFD’s full statement below:

The Greater Chicago Food Depository is deeply disappointed that a federal government shutdown was not averted. While the immediate impact of a shutdown on our neighbors in need will be minimal, we are gravely concerned that a prolonged shutdown could significantly increase hunger and hardship for millions across the U.S. 

Here in Chicago, our commitment remains unwavering. The Food Depository will continue all scheduled deliveries to our network of partner pantries throughout Cook County at no cost, ensuring shelves remain stocked and our neighbors have reliable access to nutritious food. Likewise, our food assistance programs – including those serving children, families, older adults, individuals with disabilities and veterans – will operate as usual in the coming weeks. This includes distributions for after-school meals programs and the Commodity Supplemental Food Program for low-income older adults. 

Our current understanding is that essential safety net benefits such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) will continue to be issued through October. However, the longer the shutdown persists, the greater the risk that these benefits will be disrupted, threatening the wellbeing of those who rely on public food assistance. We continue to urge elected leaders to reopen the government and fund critical safety net programs that address poverty and hunger. 

The Food Depository and our partner network stand ready to support anyone in need of food assistance, including federal workers impacted by the shutdown. Anyone experiencing sudden hardship due to job loss, missed paychecks or furlough can find the location of their nearest pantry by using the “Find Food” tool at chicagosfoodbank.org.   

The last time the government shut down was in late 2018. That lasted for 35 days.

Senate Republicans need five more Democrats to break from their party and vote with them to pass a funding bill, with Senate Democrats saying they will hold out until their demands are met on health care and other issues.