Thousands of federal workers and government contractors in San Diego County are amongst those affected by the partial government shutdown.
Some will be on furlough, others are forced to work the holidays without pay.
"It's an insult to federal employees," said George McCubbin, the national vice president for the American Federation of Government Employees — the largest union for federal workers.
McCubbin estimates there are 5,000 workers affected by the partial shutdown in San Diego County.
"Our border patrol agents, our Customs and Border Protection officers, our TSA officers," he said. "We have the Bureau of Prisons because we have the downtown detention facility."
Most, because they're considered essential, are forced to work without pay.
The Senate is scheduled to meet Thursday to try to put an end to the shutdown but McCubbin is well aware that if something isn't hammered out before the New Year, this shutdown could be rough for his union members.
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"I can't even imagine being that federal employee having to go home and tell my family I may not get a paycheck but I still have to go to work," he said.
NBC7 spoke to other labor leaders who said because the government was closed Monday and Tuesday for Christmas, they haven't felt the full brunt of this shutdown.
If, however, there is no deal in place by Friday, they say people are going to get really nervous.
