65-year-old furloughed by government shutdown: ‘I could lose everything’
On Tuesday, Willie Price woke up at 3 in the morning to deliver a newspaper. At 6:30 in the morning, he worked in a cafeteria at the Capitol Hill Congress Library, coating the food service, correspondence and drank coffee.
Then the government closed on Wednesday.
Saying that he earned about 16 cents per news and $ 25 per hour from the food service, Price says he hasn’t worked since Tuesday. If the closure persists, he cannot pay his invoices this month.
“I don’t even know what to do,” the 65 -year -old CNBC says he’s doing this. “I can lose the house. I can lose my car. I can lose everything.”
The price is one of the many hourly contractors that work directly for the government or through the third -party contractor that will not be paid during the closure period. Some federal employees guarantee payment when the closure ends, but Not contractors.
The closure typically lasted about four days. The last time in 2018 was the longest recording that lasted more than a month. In the afternoon of Friday, the Senate did not exceed one of the financing invoices that would end the closure of the three -day government. The closure is expected to extend at least until Monday, October 6.
A long -term closure, tremendous amount Financial coercion on low -paid workersRandy Erwin, President of the National Federal Employees Federation, a union representing 110,000 federal workers throughout the country, is experiencing salary withdrawal.
‘People think that people can play with their livelihood’
As of October 6, a 64 -year -old security guard Audrey Murray said he would no longer receive a salary of 20.22 dollars from Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery. Although he does not expect to get rid of his second job in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he says that only the income from this job will not meet his bills for the month.
“I’m just limbd right now, Mur says Murray. “Funny that people think people can play with their livelihood. I do all the right things. I’m going to work.”
Willie Price (L) and Audrey Murray (R) are contract workers who will not receive salaries during the closure of the government.
Christina Locopo | CNBC Make It (by Perrase: Willie Price and Audrey Murray)
Murray, a full -time caregiver for a single mother and 12 -year -old grandson of her two young sons, said that during the closure of the last government in 2018, she had taken two years of paying the money she borrowed from relatives.
Every month, he pays a mortgage of $ 2,200 and spends up to $ 600 for his family, as well as public services and child care costs. He already thinks how he may have to ask his children to rationalize their food.
“How do I feed my children and pay my bills?” Murray says. “I have to keep my electricity open. I have to keep my gas open.”
Many low -wage workers may not be able to pay their invoices
It is not clear how many workers will be affected in total, but 750,000 Federal Government According to the Congress Budget Office, employees may be permitted every day of the closure.
Low paid workers bruise From the closure of the government, Manny Pasitich, the president of 32BJ Seıu, a union representing 2,400 federal contracted security guards, office cleaners and food service employees in a statement on Tuesday.
“Not only 32BJ members directly earn less than federal employees, but they are not suitable for reimbursement.” He said. “The closure of a government would turn their lives upside down, force many to risk evacuating, close public services and allow them to feed themselves and their families.”
In Smithsonian, Murray says that “everyone” is worried about how closing will affect their lives. In the last few days, he saw that most of his colleagues were crying from stress.
“It is very sad to see that everyone is sad, or he says. “People don’t know how to pay their bills. People don’t know how to put food on the table.”
Do you want to be your own boss? Sign up for CNBC’s new online course, How to start a job: for the first founders. Find step -by -step guidance to start your first job from testing your opinion to growing your income.
Plus, Sign up to CNBC Make It Bulletin Here are tips and tips for money and success in life and Request to participate in our private community in LinkedIn To connect with experts and peers.
