President Trump continues to slash jobs from the federal workforce by taking aim at a critical Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research facility in Pleasant Hills, laying off 300 employees. It is called one of the critical research programs in the country, certifying personal protection equipment (PPE) and conducting advanced safety regulations for the mining industry.”Anything from fire safety to battery safety, to dust particulate, hazards, that is our directive,” Connor Brown, a mining engineer told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Tuesday. When asked the significance of losing those jobs, Brown said “work will no longer be done.”On Tuesday morning, Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 received a tip from a viewer saying that workers were being laid off.After some digging, we confirmed with workers on the scene that they received a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that it would be issuing a reduction in force.Employees said roughly 200 union employees are being laid off, with union members’ last day being in June and 100 non-union workers’ last day being Tuesday. Linda Chasko, an employee and vice president of Union AFG 1916, said research for PPE is conducted for manufacturers around the world. “Before any respirator you see at any store that has a NIOSH stamp on it, it goes through the research facilities and the lab here, to make sure it meets our standards, that’s not just American manufacturers, that’s across the globe,” Chasko said. Chasko said she was shocked when she got the letter. “Our hope was that it was not going to be a RIF and a loss of jobs, but that it was going to be relocation,” Chasko stated. “Finding out this morning that was not the case, and it was a termination of our employees, was a bit of a shock to everybody.”These latest job cuts ignited furious backlash from members of Congress representing districts in western Pennsylvania.Congressman Chris DeLuzio released a statement following the report of job cuts, saying, in part, “This Administration’s firings at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will make life more dangerous for all of us. Slashing these programs will only allow robber barons and big corporations to get away with more lax safety requirements and ripping off consumers.”Congresswoman Summer Lee weighed in, saying, “These layoffs are a direct attack on workers, on public health, and on the basic right of every person to come home safely to their family after a hard day’s work. You’re telling the American people their safety doesn’t matter. You’re telling workers their lives are expendable. And that’s not just irresponsible — it’s wrong.”In addition, Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council President Darrin Kelly released a statement saying, in part: “This is yet another attack by this administration against union workers doing incredibly important jobs for our communities here in western Pennsylvania and across the country.” “These aren’t cushy government jobs — they are essential jobs that keep us safe, and these employees have been fired overnight. It’s is unacceptable, it’s dangerous, and it’s a slap in the face to working families and all of western Pennsylvania.” image id=’66c66da5-05a0-4a79-a31b-a80eaf46eb54′ mediaId=’6dd9b9c5-8781-440d-aff6-30a5d75e417a’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’true’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]Employees explained that they work on a mining program that does research on the safety of underground miners and mine disasters. Additionally, they also work on respirators.”Even if you think the government work that’s done here doesn’t touch you, it probably does. If you’ve painted at your house, you’ve probably used a NIOSH-approved respirator. If you’ve had surgery, the medical workers and the hospital facility used NIOSH research to keep you safe and to keep themselves safe,” program analyst Suzanne Alison said. Many questions remain as to what is next, but these workers want people to know the work they do can only be done right here in the Pittsburgh region.”The respirator approval program and the facilities that are in Pittsburgh are only in Pittsburgh. For the Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, we have two experimental mines on site. Those mines aren’t available anywhere else,” Alison said.

PLEASANT HILLS, Pa. —President Trump continues to slash jobs from the federal workforce by taking aim at a critical Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research facility in Pleasant Hills, laying off 300 employees.

It is called one of the critical research programs in the country, certifying personal protection equipment (PPE) and conducting advanced safety regulations for the mining industry.

“Anything from fire safety to battery safety, to dust particulate, hazards, that is our directive,” Connor Brown, a mining engineer told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 Tuesday.

When asked the significance of losing those jobs, Brown said “work will no longer be done.”

On Tuesday morning, Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 received a tip from a viewer saying that workers were being laid off.

After some digging, we confirmed with workers on the scene that they received a letter from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that it would be issuing a reduction in force.

Employees said roughly 200 union employees are being laid off, with union members’ last day being in June and 100 non-union workers’ last day being Tuesday.

Linda Chasko, an employee and vice president of Union AFG 1916, said research for PPE is conducted for manufacturers around the world.

“Before any respirator you see at any store that has a NIOSH stamp on it, it goes through the research facilities and the lab here, to make sure it meets our standards, that’s not just American manufacturers, that’s across the globe,” Chasko said.

Chasko said she was shocked when she got the letter.

“Our hope was that it was not going to be a RIF and a loss of jobs, but that it was going to be relocation,” Chasko stated. “Finding out this morning that was not the case, and it was a termination of our employees, was a bit of a shock to everybody.”

These latest job cuts ignited furious backlash from members of Congress representing districts in western Pennsylvania.

Congressman Chris DeLuzio released a statement following the report of job cuts, saying, in part, “This Administration’s firings at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will make life more dangerous for all of us. Slashing these programs will only allow robber barons and big corporations to get away with more lax safety requirements and ripping off consumers.”

Congresswoman Summer Lee weighed in, saying, “These layoffs are a direct attack on workers, on public health, and on the basic right of every person to come home safely to their family after a hard day’s work. You’re telling the American people their safety doesn’t matter. You’re telling workers their lives are expendable. And that’s not just irresponsible — it’s wrong.”

In addition, Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council President Darrin Kelly released a statement saying, in part:

“This is yet another attack by this administration against union workers doing incredibly important jobs for our communities here in western Pennsylvania and across the country.”

“These aren’t cushy government jobs — they are essential jobs that keep us safe, and these employees have been fired overnight. It’s is unacceptable, it’s dangerous, and it’s a slap in the face to working families and all of western Pennsylvania.”

image id=’66c66da5-05a0-4a79-a31b-a80eaf46eb54′ mediaId=’6dd9b9c5-8781-440d-aff6-30a5d75e417a’ align=’center’ size=’medium’ share=’true’ caption=” expand=” crop=’original’][/image]

Employees explained that they work on a mining program that does research on the safety of underground miners and mine disasters. Additionally, they also work on respirators.

“Even if you think the government work that’s done here doesn’t touch you, it probably does. If you’ve painted at your house, you’ve probably used a NIOSH-approved respirator. If you’ve had surgery, the medical workers and the hospital facility used NIOSH research to keep you safe and to keep themselves safe,” program analyst Suzanne Alison said.

Many questions remain as to what is next, but these workers want people to know the work they do can only be done right here in the Pittsburgh region.

“The respirator approval program and the facilities that are in Pittsburgh are only in Pittsburgh. For the Pittsburgh Mining Research Division, we have two experimental mines on site. Those mines aren’t available anywhere else,” Alison said.