PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN

Thursday, February 20, 2025; Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building, E. 9^th and Lakeside: Protesters, protest firings of federal employees orchestrated by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. A member the Service Employees International Union joins with about 150 protesters to show her support for federal workers who lost their jobs.

PHOTO BY CHUCK HOVEN

Thursday, February 20, 2025; Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building, E. 9^th and Lakeside: Protest against the mass firings of federal employees orchestrated by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. A staff member of the local American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) joins the protest to show federal workers that Cleveland’s labor movement supports the effort to restore their jobs.

(Plain Press March 2025) On February 20th, in front of the Anthony J. Celebrezze Federal Building, local labor leaders, union members and concerned citizens joined with federal government employees to show their support for federal government workers who lost their jobs in the recent massive job cuts orchestrated by the Elon Musk led Department of Government Efficiency. About 150 people gathered for the protest. Speakers talked of the nonsensical nature of the government job cuts and how Cleveland labor unions were offering their solidarity with those government employees losing their jobs. Speakers included local labor leaders as well as Ohio District 11 Congresswoman Shontel Brown.

     Protesters carried signs signaling their concerns such as “Save the Country, Save the Civil Service”, “Stop the War on Workers”, “UAW – United Automotive, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America”, “Stop the Billionaire Takeover”, “Speak Up, Stand Up, Show Up for Justice”, “Respect Public Workers”, “Protect and Respect Civil Service – Beyond Politics,  Serving the People”, “Workers over Billionaires”, “Saving the Civil Service = Saving America”, “Stand, Unite, Fight for Workers Rights”, “Union Power”, “We the People: Stop Elon: Remove the Musk-Rats and DOGE-Bags”, “NO! In the Name of Humanity, We Refuse to Accept a Fascist America!”, “VA Nurse, I Care for Our Vets” and “Support Federal Workers.”