Sean Michael Newhouse at Government Executive reports Union Leaders and Members of Congress on Monday (February 10th) sought to motivate attendees at the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Conference in Washington, D.C. as Civil Servants gear up to face existential threats under the Trump Administration. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to stand up for what’s right! I’m in the fight! Are you in the fight?” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said, prompting the conference room crowd to stand up while Bob Marley’s Get Up, Stand Up played. Speakers touted some initial court wins, including AFGE-backed lawsuits that have temporarily paused the “deferred resignations” program for Federal Workers, the mass placement on leave of U.S. Agency for International Development Employees and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to the Treasury Department’s payment system. “We must provide legal advocacy as never before to ensure that this Administration’s lawlessness gets slapped down - hard - over and over and over and over again,” Kelley said. Hundreds of AFGE Members and their supporters gathered on Capitol Hill Tuesday (February 11th) to "Rally to Save the Civil Service." The AFGE is also celebrating the Union reaching 321,000 dues-paying Members, which is the highest in its history. “I really want to send (President Donald Trump) an organizing award, but I don’t know how appropriate that would be,” Kelley said. “We had a goal set to be at (325,000) dues-paying Members by the end of this year - the end of December 2025. I anticipate that we will reach that goal by the end of this week.” 

For More On This Labor News Story, Go To: Federal employee union celebrates early wins against Trump but preparing for the long haul - Government Executive And Federal workers, union members, supporters rally on Capitol Hill