The American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are pushing back against proposed cuts and the state and federal level. The unions say that they are talking to lawmakers and trying to show the public the value of public workers, saying that they want lawmakers to consider the cuts that they are making before doing them. President Obama announced a wage freeze for federal workers, and many states are looking to cut labor costs as they face budget deficits.
See "Public-Workers Unions Steel for Budget Fights", Melanie Trottman, The Wall Street Journal, February 13, 2011