Picture this: It's day 40 of the U.S. government shutdown, and the fallout has reached Europe's doorstep.
In Italy, about 2,000 local staff at U.S. bases in Aviano and Vicenza still haven't seen their October paychecks. Rome has officially urged Washington to sort this out ASAP. ⏰💸
Portugal and Germany are in the relief game, too, temporarily covering wages for thousands of base employees. From Lisbon to Berlin, emergency funds are bridging the gap.
Unions warn that if this shutdown saga keeps dragging on, strikes or other labor actions could be next. No one wants a real-life Game of Thrones power struggle, but bills wait for no government. 😬
All eyes now turn to U.S. lawmakers in DC—will they press "play" soon and restart the paychecks? Until then, Europe's stepping in to keep communities afloat. 🌍🤝
Reference(s):
U.S. shutdown impacts overseas bases as Europe pushes for unpaid salaries
cgtn.com
