The ongoing US government shutdown, the longest in the country’s history, is now affecting not only American workers but also thousands of local employees at US military bases overseas, especially in Europe.
In Italy, more than 4,600 Italian nationals are employed at five US military bases. Among them, over 900 people working at the Aviano and Vicenza bases and around 400 at the Livorno base have not received their salaries since the shutdown began, according to the Associated Press.
Many of these workers are struggling to pay for basic needs. Angelo Zaccaria, a union coordinator at the Aviano Air Base, said some employees can’t afford their mortgages, fuel, or even daily expenses. He said the situation feels “absurd” because no one seems to be taking responsibility, and workers are still waiting for answers. Zaccaria added that the crisis is having “dramatic effects” on local families and called on the Italian government to step in.
While some host countries have decided to cover salaries temporarily, others haven’t. Germany, for example, has paid nearly 11,000 civilian workers employed at US bases there. The German finance ministry said it expects the US government to reimburse these payments once the shutdown ends. Germany hosts major US military facilities, including the Ramstein Air Base, a central hub for American operations in the Middle East and Africa.
Italy and Portugal, on the other hand, have not made similar payments, leaving their workers unpaid. Many are growing anxious as the shutdown drags on with no sign of resolution.
Foreign nationals working on US military bases perform a wide range of jobs, from construction and maintenance to logistics, food service, and other specialized roles. They may be hired directly by the US government or through private contractors, and their pay is determined by agreements between the US and each host country.
Amber Kelly-Herard, a spokesperson for the US Air Forces in Europe and Africa, said local employees are still expected to report to work under their contracts even during the shutdown. When asked about the unpaid wages, the Pentagon only said it “values the important contributions” of its international employees but did not specify when they might be paid.
For now, thousands of workers across Europe are caught in the middle of Washington’s budget standoff, continuing to work without pay, hoping for a quick resolution and reimbursement once the US government reopens.
