After missed paycheck, federal workers in Minnesota 'feel the crunch' of the government shutdown

Minnesota Now

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3d ago 11:29

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The government shutdown has lasted nearly a month now and there’s no indication that Congress is any closer to resolving the budget conflicts before funding ends for several key programs on Nov. 1.

Minnesota is home to 18,000 federal workers, many of whom have been told to stay home and not work, or work without pay. This week was the first where many didn’t receive a paycheck.

Abby, a federal worker in Minnesota, felt the impact Monday when she went to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. “I double checked my bank account to make sure I had enough to cover it. It was tough, and I knew I had to buy a bunch of other things as well,” she said. MPR News is not sharing Abby’s last name, or the agency she works for, because she fears workplace retaliation.

To understand the conversations federal workers are having around the dinner table as uncertainty grows, MPR News host Nina Moini spoke with with Ruark Hotopp. He is the national vice president of the American Federation of Government Employees District 8, a union that represents federal workers in Minnesota and other Midwest states.

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