The longest US government shutdown in history is creating financial turmoil for thousands of local workers at American military bases across Europe, with many going without pay for nearly six weeks.
European Workers Bear Brunt of American Political Gridlock
At least 2,000 civilian employees working at US military installations throughout Europe have experienced salary interruptions since the shutdown began almost six weeks ago. The situation varies significantly between host nations, with some governments stepping in to cover wages while others leave workers in limbo.
"It's an absurd situation because nobody has responses, nobody feels responsible," said Angelo Zaccaria, a union coordinator at the Aviano Air Base in northeastern Italy. "This is having dramatic effects on us Italian workers."
Patchwork Response Across European Nations
Germany has taken the most proactive approach, with its finance ministry confirming it will pay salaries for nearly 11,000 civilian employees working on US military bases, including the critical Ramstein Air Base. The German government expects to be reimbursed once the shutdown concludes, citing precedent from previous funding crises.
However, workers in Italy and Portugal face much grimmer circumstances. According to Zaccaria, over 900 local employees at US bases in Aviano and Vicenza, plus another 400 workers in Livorno, haven't received salaries since the shutdown started.
"We are waiting for urgent responses, as there are workers struggling to pay their mortgages, to support their children or even to pay the fuel to come to work," Zaccaria explained, noting that despite the financial hardship, affected workers continue showing up for duty.
Contract Workers Most Vulnerable to Payment Disruptions
According to Linda Bilmes, a public policy professor at Harvard Kennedy School and public finance expert, local workers employed as contractors face the highest risk during US government shutdowns. While the US government has historically paid back full-time employees, including foreign nationals at overseas facilities, contractors aren't always covered.
"But I doubt anyone anticipated this length of delay," Bilmes noted, explaining that some contractors build extra fees into their agreements to account for potential government funding stoppages.
In Portugal, more than 360 Portuguese workers at the Lajes Field base in the Azores archipelago haven't been paid, according to Paula Terra, head of the Lajes base workers' committee. She noted that staff continue working because furloughs aren't legally recognised under the US-Portugal base agreement, and absence could lead to disciplinary proceedings.
There is some relief for the Portuguese workers, however, as the Azores Islands regional government has approved a bank loan to cover their salaries temporarily while awaiting resolution from Washington.
The US Department of Defense provided only a brief statement when questioned about the pay disruptions, saying "We value the important contributions of our local national employees around the world," but declined to answer follow-up questions about when workers might expect payment.
The governments of Poland, Lithuania and Greenland didn't respond to requests for comment about whether they've intervened to support local workers at US bases in their territories.
