GREEN BAY (NBC26) — Elon Musk reiterated Monday night that federal employees would be terminated if they did not respond to an email requiring them to list what they accomplished at work last week. Federal agencies gave mixed instructions to their employees about how to respond to the demand. Longtime local union leaders say they've never seen the executive branch take such action.
- The presidents of two Green Bay-area labor unions say they have not seen local workers fired in recent federal layoffs, but that workers are nervous about possible changes
- The White House says the cuts will improve government efficiency, writing Monday that "Americans strongly support President Trump’s effort to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in government"
- Several of the nation's largest unions have collectively filed for a temporary restraining order against the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to stop the firings
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, with additional details added for web)
As the Trump administration continues its cost-cutting crusade, federal employees were given a deadline of midnight Monday night to explain what they accomplished last week — or risk losing their jobs. We spoke with local union leaders about how local workers are responding to the threats.
Watch Karl Winter's full story here:
"This is completely new," said John Hatton, the staff vice president of policy and programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.
"This is brand new territory, uncharted waters for many federal employees," said Patrick Van Egeren, who is the president of the Titletown 619 brand of the National Association of Letter Carriers.
"We're in very volatile times, that are not looking good," Greater Green Bay Labor Council president Steve McFarlane said.
Van Egeren and McFarlane say the email from the Office of Personnel Management, requiring employees to list five things they did last week, is not an efficient way to gauge performance.
"I can't tell you how many times I haven't received emails that people have sent me," McFarlane said.
They also say that the Department of Government Efficiency — or DOGE, under Elon Musk — is being indiscriminate.
"They needed to [have] quite a bit more precision in what they're doing, rather than taking a chainsaw to it," McFarlane said. "And we've all seen Elon Musk with his chainsaw."
"The Department of Government Efficiency says it's cutting down on waste and fraud in the federal government," we asked Van Egeren. "How would you respond to that, if that includes the Postal Service?"
"Cost versus return is what it really ultimately boils down to," he said. "And if there's a cost involved, yet there's a greater service that comes with that cost, what do you value more? Because, quite frankly, if we start cutting away from services, at what point is it going to be detrimental, to the point where it's not helping the actual people that elected these officials?"
Van Egeren delivers the mail for the U.S. Postal Service. He says he did not see any email from OPM.
His union branch represents 325 active and retired letter carriers around Green Bay.
"There has been talk, recent talk, within the last couple days, of attempting to merge it, if you will, into the Commerce Department," he said. "So, obviously, that's a cause for concern."
The concerns include hiring, retention, and morale.
"The thought of walking into an employer, with everything like this hanging over your head — it's pretty daunting," Van Egeren said.
Monday night, Musk reiterated on X that "Failure to respond a second time [to the OPM email] will result in termination."
Several of the nation's largest unions have collectively filed for a temporary restraining order against the Office of Personnel Management to stop the firings Monday — while President Trump supported DOGE's actions, saying it was an ingenious idea.
