TELL CONGRESS Provide back pay for government contractors!

While our nation’s leaders have promised to provide back pay to all federal workers impacted by the shutdown, the same is not true for the thousands of government contractors who are not legally protected by being federal employees. This includes many low-wage contract workers.

Senator Tina Smith (MN) and Representative Ayanna Pressley (MA) have introduced The Fair Compensation for Low-Wage Contractor Employees Act of 2019—which will provide back pay to government contractors, especially low and moderate-wage workers deeply impacted by the shutdown.

***ADD YOUR NAME to our letter to Congress calling on them to provide back pay to ALL government workers impacted by the #TrumpShutdown—including the thousands of low-wage contractors!

Dear Member of Congress,

Just as Congress rightly provided back pay for federal employees who were furloughed or unpaid during the shutdown, Congress should also provide back pay for the contract employees, especially low-wage contractors, who face extreme financial hardship as a result of going over a month without their paychecks.

Over the past few decades, the federal government has contracted out more and more of the jobs and functions federal employees once performed. For every federal worker hired, there are almost two more contract workers hired, for a total of about 3.7 million according to 2015 estimates from the Volcker Alliance. These jobs include the women and men who clean federal buildings, staff cafeterias and concession stands, process payments, and provide vital tech support to federal agencies.

These federal contract workers help keep our nation running, even if their paychecks aren’t cut directly by the U.S. government, and they need their paychecks just as badly as federal employees and deserve the same considerations when the government shuts down. During and since the shutdown contract workers have still had to pay for childcare, housing, food, and medical expenses. Missed paychecks lead to long term repercussions for many already struggling families.

We urge you to do everything within your power to provide back pay for the contract workers throughout this country who have suffered just as grave a financial injury as federal employees did during this shutdown.

Sincerely,

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