As the partial government shutdown drags on, airline workers fear for their financial future, national security, and airline passenger safety.
“We should be getting a paycheck, we should be feeding our families,” said Rachael Abraham, a TSA employee who is working without pay.
“No one will get out of this unscathed if we do not stop this shutdown,” Sara Nelson, with the Association of Flight Attendants, said.
The head of the Air Traffic Controllers Association, Paul Rinaldi, also said if the shutdown continues, airlines may have to reduce flights. “We are opening ourselves up to risks in the system.”
This shutdown is affecting airports across the country. Airline officials estimate nearly 40 percent of FAA workers have been furloughed while thousands are working without pay.
Virginia Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner say federal workers are being held hostage because of the president’s demand for a border wall.
Both democrats also say they’re willing to negotiate a deal on border security, but Kaine says government shutdowns should not be a negotiating tactic.
“To punish a whole lot of people unnecessarily, we are not going to compromise on that,” he said.
Airline officials insist they will not compromise on passenger safety and government employees say despite going another week without a paycheck, safety remains their top priority.
