Union leaders are warning that the simultaneous state and federal budget impasses have already started exacerbating one another, potentially leading to a much broader shutdown in public services than seen in previous fiscal standoffs.

Roughly 66,000 federal employees in Pennsylvania are either furloughed or working without pay, union officials said at a press event on Wednesday, while several counties have or are expected to furlough staff due to a lack of state funding.

“If this shutdown continues, the loss of federal funding will compound the damage being done to Pennsylvania’s public services at the state level,” said Maximus Weikel, a union leader with AFSCME Council 13, which represents Pennsylvania workers in state and local government and nonprofits.

The state and federal budget

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