Federal workers protest government shutdown at Oakland airport

Friday, January 25, 2019
OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Despite the announcement by President Donald Trump that they reached a deal in the shutdown, federal workers staged a protest at the Oakland airport Friday saying the deal doesn't take away the uncertainty they're feeling.

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"Stop playing politics with peoples lives and livelihoods." That's the message federal workers wish they could take to Washington. They wish they could strike, but they can't. So they vented their anger at Oakland International Airport.

In response to the President's announcement, TSA workers union president James Mudrock, with the American Federation of government employees, said, "We are happy our people are going to get paid for work they've been doing for the past month but we're still anxious! I mean three weeks means nothing. Our people are being used as pawns and we're tired of it and it's wrong."

Workers chanted "too little too late" as they marched outside of terminal one at Oakland International Airport at noon Friday. TSA workers, other federal employees and representatives of Bay Area labor unions spoke out.

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Liz Ortega-Toro with the Alameda Labor Council said, "We must make it absolutely clear-- this is only temporary and these workers should not be held hostage. The shutdown has to end permanently."

Federal workers marched into the airport as they circled At the security checkpoint chanting "no more shut down". Passengers took pictures as airline employees cheered them on.

RELATED: A look back at other recent federal government shutdowns

Some said they don't just want just a pause in the shutdown but they want an end to the shutdown.

TSA employee Susan Braverman said, "I am afraid I'm going to be right back here in three weeks protesting another shutdown. That kind of uncertainty is unfair and immoral and it needs to stop."

Check out more stories and videos about the government shutdown.

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