Dear Union Sisters, Brothers, Siblings, and Allies,

The Arizona AFL-CIO is calling on all union members to stand in solidarity with our brothers, sisters, and siblings of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) who have been directly affected by the ongoing government shutdown. Since the shutdown began on October 1st, nearly 750,000 federal workers nationwide have been furloughed or forced to work without pay, including an estimated 34,460 in Arizona. Many of these dedicated public servants are facing significant financial hardship during this uncertain and difficult time.

In the spirit of union solidarity and mutual aid, we are asking local unions, community partners, and individual members to contribute monetary donations to help support these workers and their families. With these donations, the Arizona AFL-CIO will be working with the Labor’s Community Service Agency, which will provide gift cards that allow affected AFGE members to purchase food and essential supplies they need most.

You can support our federal workers in two ways:

• By Check: Make checks payable to Arizona AFL-CIO and note “Federal Worker Aid - Government Shutdown” in the memo line.
  Mail to: Arizona AFL-CIO, 3117 N. 16th St., STE 200, Phoenix, AZ 85016

• By PayPal: Donations can also be made securely online at: https://www.paypal.com/donate?campaign_id=BHQPL538A7K3E

Let’s come together to ensure that no union member stands alone during this difficult time.

In Solidarity,

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer & Executive Director 

Arizona AFL-CIO