Syracuse advocates and union members are looking for answers and calling for protection as thousands of federal employees are being laid off.
Dozens of Syracuse advocates braced the cold this week to stand outside city hall and demand change. Former and current union members, public employees and social security recipients called on federal leaders to protect workers and agencies like the postal services, social security and more.
Shawn Halloran, president of Local 3342, the Social Security Workers Union, said while attention may be placed on the national scale, employee cuts and unclear directions have a serious local impact.
"These are things that you read in national news outlets, that you hear about talk from the Oval Office," Halloran said. "There is very real impact here in Syracuse. Every day, somebody needs something from the Social Security office and that's what we provide."
Halloran said morale has been low as many workers fear their next paycheck might not come in. He says he doesn't always have the answers to ease worries.
"People look to us for answers," Halloran said. "And when there's no communication and it's a guessing game, that's very difficult. We sort of try to temper everybody's expectations. It sort of feels like you're fighting with one hand tied behind your back at this point."
Halloran said now is an important time to remind people of the power of unions and collective work.
"I try to remind people that we have very real power collectively and that's what we have to rely on at this point," Halloran said.
Central New York Rep. John Mannion (D-Geddes) joined advocates and called for continued support of federal and public workers.
"The demand for services is not going to go down for the Social Security Administration for Veterans Affairs, or anywhere else," Mannion said. "So let's support them."
