Sequestration furloughs begin

Some workers at the Annsiton Army depot will begin The first of 11 days of unpaid leave this week as part of the federal sequestration to offset federal budget cuts. 

Most of the Department of Defense's civilian employees are being furloughted for 11 days which began Monday. The cuts will mean less money for thousands of depot employees, potentially less spending in the area economy and delayed work schedules at the facility.  Some of the depots employees began their furloughs Monday, with more scheduled on Friday.   Many of the depot's 2,817 workers are set to begin their furloughs Friday. Eventually all of the depot's employees along with its 521 tenant workers, which include those at the distribution center, the Anniston munitions center and Anniston Chemical Activity, will be furloughed,.  Shrene Funderburg, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, Local 1945, which represents depot workers, said the furloughs will definitely impact current work at the depot and its ability to bid for future contracts, and said that the union will meet with congressional representatives in Washington, D.C., this week to continue to protest and fight the furloughs.