Braving 10-degree wind chills, an estimated 250 people gathered outside Pennsylvania Senator David McCormick’s Center City office in Philadelphia at noon on Feb. 19. The spirited rally protesting Donald Trump’s proposed federal funding cuts was part of a multicity “National Day of Action.”

The demonstration was called by Labor for Higher Education, a coalition of unions representing workers in higher education and students across the U.S. Participants included members of the American Association of University Professors, American Federation of Teachers, United Auto Workers and others. Faculty, students and staff from the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Temple University, Drexel University and the Community College of Philadelphia were present along with supporters.

A primary concern was Trump’s proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health, which funds hundreds of millions of dollars in research at universities in Pennsylvania. The cuts are currently blocked by court order, but if they do go through it could mean the loss of revenue for critical research in medicine, technology, environmental sustainability, education and health sciences. Penn State’s research work could lose around $35 million in NIH grants and the University of Pennsylvania as much as $250 million.

Impact of federal layoffs hits Philadelphia

Later in the day, around 150 federal workers and supporters gathered by the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia’s Independence Mall to denounce the sudden layoffs across multiple government agencies promoted by Trump and his hatchet man, billionaire Elon Musk. The rally was called by the American Federation of Government Employees Council 238 which represents around 9,400 federal workers in the Philadelphia area.

Two probationary workers at the National Historical Park received termination notices over the weekend, despite understaffing with at least 30 unfilled openings. Other sudden job cuts hit probationary workers at the General Services Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Forest Service, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Department of Energy and the Internal Revenue Service. Despite the recent increase in airplane crashes, layoffs also hit the Federal Aviation Administration which was already understaffed.

Speakers addressing the rally included government workers from many of these departments, Philadelphia Council Member Nicolas O’Rourke and state Senator Nikil Saval who represents Pennsylvania’s First Senatorial District in the heart of Philadelphia. Signs denouncing Trump and Musk dotted the crowd and chants called on participants to organize and fight back!