As I have stated before, all government workers are essential to the government, but the ones who are working without pay are some of the ones who have your safety in their human hands. Now just how long can you stress TSA, TCA and other safety sensitive workers by demanding them to work without pay for an extended period of time, all while expecting them to perform at the required optimum levels? The unions representing the nation’s pilots, flight attendants and air traffic controllers provided a joint press release that should sufficiently concern the air traveling public:
Air Traffic Controllers, Pilots, Flight Attendants Detail Serious Safety Concerns Due to Shutdown
Washington, D.C. — On Day 33 of the government shutdown, National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) President Paul Rinaldi, Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) President Joe DePete, and Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA) President Sara Nelson released the following statement:
“We have a growing concern for the safety and security of our members, our airlines, and the traveling public due to the government shutdown. This is already the longest government shutdown in the history of the United States and there is no end in sight. In our risk averse industry, we cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which the entire system will break. It is unprecedented.
“Due to the shutdown, air traffic controllers, transportation security officers, safety inspectors, air marshals, federal law enforcement officers, FBI agents, and many other critical workers have been working without pay for over a month. Staffing in our air traffic control facilities is already at a 30-year low and controllers are only able to maintain the system’s efficiency and capacity by working overtime, including 10-hour days and 6-day workweeks at many of our nation’s busiest facilities. Due to the shutdown, the FAA has frozen hiring and shuttered its training academy, so there is no plan in effect to fill the FAA’s critical staffing need. Even if the FAA were hiring, it takes two to four years to become fully facility certified and achieve Certified Professional Controller (CPC) status. Almost 20% of CPCs are eligible to retire today. There are no options to keep these professionals at work without a paycheck when they can no longer afford to support their families. When they elect to retire, the National Airspace System (NAS) will be crippled. (emphasis mine)
“The situation is changing at a rapid pace. Major airports are already seeing security checkpoint closures, with many more potentially to follow. Safety inspectors and federal cyber security staff are not back on the job at pre-shutdown levels, and those not on furlough are working without pay. Last Saturday, TSA management announced that a growing number of officers cannot come to work due to the financial toll of the shutdown. In addition, we are not confident that system-wide analyses of safety reporting data, which is used to identify and implement corrective actions in order to reduce risks and prevent accidents is 100 percent operational due to reduced FAA resources.
“As union leaders, we find it unconscionable that aviation professionals are being asked to work without pay and in an air safety environment that is deteriorating by the day. To avoid disruption to our aviation system, we urge Congress and the White House to take all necessary steps to end this shutdown immediately. “
What should be concerning to all is that a good 20% of Air Traffic Controllers are retirement eligible right NOW. Folks have various reasons for staying on even when they become eligible to retire, but sometimes circumstances may make some folk decide to go out before they plan to or are even ready to. I submit to you that if this shutdown continues for — let’s say, another 2 weeks, federal employees in positions like these will punch their clocks out sooner than later because this shutdown will leave a very bad taste in their mouths and morale amongst federal employees will plummet. More importantly, if ATC retirement eligible employees decide to retire faster than the FAA can replace them, then the strain of managing our skies will go on long after this shutdown is over.
That goes for the FBI, Federal Prison Bureau, DOJ, State Department, Coast Guard… you should be getting the picture now.