What the Government Shutdown Means for Flight Attendants
January 20, 2018 — The U.S. government is officially shut down. This is not just about services, this is about jobs and families. Hundreds of thousands of government workers are spending the morning securing government offices, setting voicemail and email notifications, and completing shutdown plans: They are out of work with no knowledge of when Congress will act to get them back to work. The remaining million workers who are considered 'essential' employees are required to come to work without pay until funding resumes. This means millions of families are shouldering the impact of no agreement in Congress.
During a government shutdown, 'essential' operations such as the FAA air traffic control system and TSA security screening will continue. However, these Air Traffic Controllers, Transportation Security Officers and Customs and Border Protection Officers will go to work without receiving a paycheck.
According to agency shutdown plans posted online, the FAA will furlough nearly 18,000 of 46,000 employees. DHS, which includes TSA and CBP, will furlough over 31,000 employees. All NMB staff will be furloughed. This affects nearly everything we do, including contract bargaining.
Already three times this Congress, at the direction of the President, has only authorized fully funding the government by passing short-term bills. They cannot continue kicking the can down the road and playing politics with children, families, and walls at the expense of the American public. Congress has remained in Washington and we are hopeful this will be resolved quickly.
