AFGE statement on reduction in HUD furlough days -- WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- WASHINGTON, Aug. 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- American Federation of Government Employees National President J. David Cox Sr. today issued the following statement in response to the announcement that the Housing and Urban Development Department has reduced the number of days employees will be furloughed from seven to five: Today's announcement that HUD employees will be spared two more days of furloughs is welcome news. There is no doubt that like so many other agencies, HUD could have absorbed sequestration's cuts without any furloughs at all. Still, the reduction from seven to the five days already taken is a victory for AFGE's Council of HUD Locals, who never gave up the fight against the agency's decision. HUD's agreement to eliminate two days of planned furloughs is an acknowledgement that the agency could no longer justify the destructive and unnecessary policy of throwing working- and middle-class employees out of work. Eventually, agencies across government are coming around to the reality that furloughs are costly and counterproductive in terms of dollars, production, and morale.