HOUSTON – Hundreds of protesters gathered outside NASA Johnson Space Center Monday to protest the dozens of layoffs implemented under executive orders.
This comes a week after NASA announced it would be shutting down three of its offices and layoff several staff members as the company prepares to reduce its workforce under the Trump administration.
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Nearly 200 protesters gathered including representatives from the American Federation of Government Employees, NASA, and Democratic Rep. Al Green.
Last week, KPRC 2′s Ninfa Saavedra reached out to the Johnson Space Center to see if any Houston area employees would be impacted by the layoffs. Here is the statement they gave:
“To optimize our workforce, and in compliance with an Executive Order, NASA is beginning its phased approach to a reduction in force, known as a RIF. A small number of individuals received notification Monday they are a part of NASA’s RIF. If they’re eligible, those employees may opt to participate in the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, or VERA, or complete the RIF process.”
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The layoffs are just one example of the tens of thousands announced by different federal agencies including the Department of Education, Veterans Affairs, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).