The American Federation of Government Employees and other unions are aiding federal employees in an effort to push back against furlough days mandated by sequestration. Hosting workshops around the country, unions are walking members through the steps of an appeals process that demands back pay as well as cancellation of the furloughs. Citing shifts that were made in the Navy?s budget this year, many employees say that the agencies could have made deeper cuts to programs and contracts as an alternative to the furloughs. On Thursday alone, the Merit Systems Protection Board was flooded with almost 6,000 appeals.
See "Unions rally federal employees to appeal furlough", Lisa Rein, The Washington Post, July 22, 2013