Good Afternoon, 

Welcome back to another edition of the Keystone Labor Report. 

We are more than three weeks into the ongoing government shutdown, and President Donald Trump is shattering norms. 

First, he holds the record for overseeing the most government shutdown days than any previous president at 57 days between his two terms.  Trump is followed by former President Jimmy Carter, who oversaw 56 shutdown days during his four years in office, and former President Bill Clinton, who had 26 total shutdown days in his eight years as president. 

Lastly, this ongoing shutdown is the longest full government shutdown in US history, and it is only second to the 2018-2019 partial government shutdown, which lasted for 35 days. 

For those keeping score at home, Trump was also president during that shutdown.  

(Photo: AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Now that the government shutdown is in its third week, paychecks for federal employees have all but dried up, and we are starting to see some of the ramifications of the shutdown. 

There are 66,000 federal employees in Pennsylvania, most of whom are furloughed without pay, but some federal employees, such as Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) employees, air traffic controllers, and federal prison guards, are considered essential and have been working during the shutdown without pay. 

Earlier this week, we covered how unpaid federal employees who are working through the shutdown played an important role in ending the previous shutdown. 

Now, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) has launched a food pantry for federal airport employees affected by the shutdown. 

A post circulating on Reddit shows that PHL is asking businesses and community members for monetary contributions, non-perishable food items, toiletries, and grocery store gift cards.

“As you may be aware, many dedicated public servants are experiencing financial hardship due to missed paychecks. In response, we are organizing a food pantry to provide essential groceries and supplies to federal workers and their families during this difficult time,” PHL’s letter read. 

(Photo: Sean Kitchen)

Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) faculty members and professors are gearing up to strike in the near future if its administration cannot reach an agreement by Oct. 28th. 

HACC Education Association (HACCEA) members held a town hall earlier this week detailing their frustrations with the administration for dragging their feet throughout the whole negotiations process. 

There are roughly 750 faculty members who teach online or at HACC’s campuses in Adams, Dauphin, Lebanon, Lancaster, and York counties, and they have been waiting more than three years to negotiate a contract and receive a raise. 

HACCEA members will be hosting a rally outside the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex at 5 PM this Tuesday and will then go into their bargaining session right afterwards. 

If those talks fail on Tuesday, the faculty is prepared to strike. However, the union did not disclose when a strike would occur. 

“ We have a rally. We have a negotiation session with them on the 28th,” Adam Weber, a PSEA uniserv representative, said during Tuesday’s town hall. “If that negotiation session is unsuccessful, we will strike, and I want to reiterate that that is what we will do.”

Last call for Philadelphia area readers: Do you want to grab a pint with some of your favorite reporters from The Keystone? Well, now’s your chance. 

We’re hosting an event in Philly this evening called Pints & Precedents: A Keystone Happy Hour at Philadelphia Brewing Company. It’s a chance for you to connect with advocacy organizations, local policymakers, and fellow community members to talk about key issues facing Pennsylvania ahead of the upcoming state Supreme Court election on Nov. 4.

This event is FREE and open to the public. RSVP here!

(Photo: Sean Kitchen)

Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is warning Pennsylvanians that the federal government shutdown is going to delay the opening of the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps needy residents to heat their homes during the winter months, by one month because DHS has not received its federal funding for the program.

“The LIHEAP Program helps more than 300,000 Pennsylvania families heat their homes during the colder months – and is especially critical for older adults and low-income families. Inaction from the Republican-controlled Congress now threatens access to this assistance,” Human Services Secretary Dr. Val Arkoosh said in a statement.