NEH Union - AFGE L3403
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nehafge3403.bsky.social
NEH Union - AFGE L3403
@nehafge3403.bsky.social
780 followers 29 following 520 posts
Unit of AFGE Local 3403 representing staff at the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Local 3403 represents federal workers supporting art, research, and culture across the United States and territories.
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nehafge3403.bsky.social
Seems our federal dental and vision insurance benefits program didn't get the memo that the National Endowment for the Humanities fired 70% of our staff, rendering "Open Enrollment" irrelevant for most of us. 🤨 Is there any end to these insults? #NEH
Screenshot of an email from BENEFEDS, the federal employee dental and vision insurance program.
November 5, 2025 at 9:32 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
The National Endowment for the Humanities has added an "America 250" logo to its website, confirming its focus and purpose as remaining staff (and specially-appointed staff) work through the shutdown. #NEH
A screencap of the National Endowment for the Humanities' homepage with the "America 250" logo at the top.
October 27, 2025 at 12:40 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
We stand steadfast, as always, with our National Endowment for the Humanities grantees and our staff (past and present), who have been so deeply affected by these senseless actions. Thank you to all who continue to speak up. 🙏 #NEH @wired.com @zoeschiffer.bsky.social
Quoted text from Wired article: "People's livelihoods were gone, wiped out and thoroughly decimated. So many of these grantees work their entire lives to see a project, book, or exhibit come to fruition. These dreams came to a crashing and fiery end in the single hit of a button by someone would likely would never understand the true devastating impact." - National Endowment for the Humanities employee
September 26, 2025 at 9:24 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
A reminder that none of this was necessary. #NEA #NEH #arts #humanities #Tennessee #Chattanooga

archive: archive.is/i1KnB
Quote from a news article: "Like the ballet, arts organizations across Chattanooga are tightening their belts - some are leaving administrative positions unstaffed while others are compiling multiple budgets to prepare for the possibility of unexpected revenue loss. The cost-saving measures and contingency planning are symptoms of the anxiety many arts administrators say they have felt since President Donald Trump took office for a second term." https://archive.is/i1KnB
August 18, 2025 at 8:25 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
Even though this event was not related to the termination of the Asian Art Museum's grant, its mention illustrates how important these kinds of projects are for cultural heritage safety & sustainability - projects the #NEH Sustaining Cultural Heritage Collections grant program supported for years.
Screenshot of text stating "In April, the museum lost the majority of a $350,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities to repair its fire suppression system, after President Donald Trump nixed funding across the federal agency. Lee said the pipe that burst was not part of the museum's fire suppression system; that repair will go forward using city funds."
July 30, 2025 at 9:53 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
"In April, The Library of Darkness—the film about Brent Seales’ quest to learn the secrets of the [Herculaneum] scrolls and his work with the Vesuvius Challenge—lost the last $50,000 of a $500,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities." #NEH #DOGE

archived: archive.is/SSMwH
Screencap of a tweet from Luke Farritor of DOGE: "you can judge a man's character by which 3-letter or hed abolish if given the choice."
July 30, 2025 at 7:28 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
3 months ago, National Endowment for the Humanities staff had vibrant civil servant jobs serving the American public and supporting the #humanities - until #DOGE laid off two-thirds of us.

Now, we're just inundated w/ spammy "recruiters" day in & day out while we look for our next careers. 😕 #NEH
Text message from a YouTube recruiter trying to get us to apply to a job.
July 24, 2025 at 1:24 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
We're not crying; *you're* crying! ☺️ Thanks for the shout-out and congrats on your successful National Endowment for the Humanities project (and beautiful white paper)! #NEH
Screencap from the Recovery Hub for American Women Writers white paper, thanking NEH staff.
July 22, 2025 at 12:39 AM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
It's been just over a month since over 100 National Endowment for the Humanities staff were laid off. After waiting 2 weeks for the paperwork we needed to file for unemployment, the DC unemployment website crashes repeatedly every day some of us try to file. 🤨 #NEH #HowManyPhDs
A screenshot from the DC unemployment registration.
July 14, 2025 at 1:07 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
Last week, we quietly passed the 500 followers mark, right in the midst of ~ all this. ~ Thank you for all the support for union members and staff at the National Endowment for the Humanities. Please keep those stories coming about the impact of #NEH & the #humanities!
May 19, 2025 at 4:53 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
What a beautiful May Day to launch the fight for the rights of our labor - #NEH staff and grantees alike - and for the #humanities.

Our work to preserve and make accessible #history and #culture for all people is NOT expendable. @paulakrebs.bsky.social @acls1919.bsky.social
Screenshot of the AHA statement that says, "The humanities are not a luxury," said MLA executive director Paula M. Krebs. "They are a necessity, teaching people vital skills, including how to effectively communicate, construct arguments, evaluate evidence, and build connections across cultures. Cutting the NEH's funding and staff jeopardizes not only the work of the MLA and its members but also thousands of locally led programs across the country that provide Americans with access to essential education. In the face of these unprecedented and destructive cuts, humanities leaders must fight back together."
May 1, 2025 at 8:39 PM
nehafge3403.bsky.social
Exactly two weeks after abolishing the positions of 116 #NEH dedicated civil servants, the agency releases a statement that is an utter insult to the ethical guidelines and regulations to which we staff, as well as our panelists and applicants, have *always* rigorously adhered. #humanities
Opening of a press release from the National Endowment for the Humanities dated April 24, 2025, that reads "In recent weeks the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has taken several internal operational steps to improve efficiency, eliminate offices that are not essential to fulfilling its statutory requirements, and to return to being a responsible steward of taxpayer funds."
April 24, 2025 at 9:10 PM