U.S. SEC staff should not worry about shutdown layoffs, union says

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, Sept 26 (Reuters) - U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission workers should not be "anxious" about potential mass layoffs if the government shuts down next week, a top union official has told agency staff.

SEC preparations for a possible government shutdown and its related communications with the union have been the same as in prior shutdowns, the head of the SEC's union Greg Gilman said in a email on Thursday afternoon, seen by Reuters.

"There is no reason at present for SEC employees to be anxious that a shutdown at the SEC would be different than past shutdowns have been, or that it would result in a [further]reduction in our staff," he wrote.

Neither Gilman nor the SEC immediately responded to requests for comment on Friday afternoon.

The White House this week threatened sharp cuts in the federal workforce if government funding runs out next week and Congress does not pass legislation to keep the government open.

In a memo late Wednesday, the White House's Office of Management and Budget asked federal agencies to identify workers in positions that would be unfunded and outside the president's priorities. SEC chairman Paul Atkins on Thursday evening said he had yet to review the memo but believed the SEC was working to meet President Donald Trump's priorities.

The SEC has already lost 15-19% of staff across divisions as President Donald Trump pushed for cuts across agencies.

The agency recently launched another buyout offer, this time targeted at supervisors.