As reported in the Washington Post, on October 2, Ellen Mei, the chapter president of National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) Chapter 255, representing employees at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service's (FNS) Northeast Regional Office was interviewed on MSNBC. Mei spoke about how the shutdown was impacting her members and repeated previously reported information that SNAP benefits may be in trouble if the shutdown continues into November.  

The next day, Mei received a Notice of Proposed Removal - a notice that her agency intends to fire her for exercising her first amendment right, her right to protected speech for union officials, and for warning the public about the impacts to SNAP benefits caused by the government shutdown.

Long term, USDA intends to reorganize FNS which will have devastating impacts on food assistance recipients, FNS employees, and Mei’s colleagues in Boston. USDA plans to close at least 3 regional offices, as they “reduce regions from seven to four”. We know that closing any regional offices will have devastating impacts on programs like SNAP and WIC and that firing FNS Union Leaders like Ellen Mei weaken federal workers’ advocacy in their worksites.

This campaign is about more than just protecting Ellen's position. It’s about beating back the attacks on SNAP and FNS’ 15 other food programs, the attacks on workers rights, and the attacks on free speech.

By signing this pledge, you can join labor leaders, food security advocates and members of the public to send a clear message that USDA FNS must rescind their threat to fire Ellen Mei, stop any cuts to SNAP, and reverse course on the reorganization efforts.