Shutdown turbulence: Air traffic controllers work without pay in one of America’s most stressful jobs
There has been an uptick in the number of air traffic controllers calling in sick since the government shutdown resulting in flight delays across the US.
Thousands of flights in the United States were delayed for a third day on Wednesday due to the Federal Aviation Administration slowing traffic as the result of insufficient staffing at airports across the nation. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy told the Fox News that there has been an uptick in the number of air traffic controllers calling in sick since the government shutdown on 1 October.
Whereas normally 5% of flight delays are the result of “staffing issues”, over the “last couple days it has been 53%,” informed Duffy. He explained that “the bottom line is these controllers are stressed out, and they’re rebelling on this shutdown because they may not get paid.”
Persistent air traffic control staffing issues
When the federal government shut down last week, an estimated 750,000 nonessential federal employees were put on furlough, sent home without pay, while politicians in Washington remain at an impasse over funding.
However, since the roughly 13,000 air traffic controllers are considered essential, along with around 50,000 TSA officers, they are required to show up for work but don’t know when they will get their next paycheck.
Prior to the shutdown, the FAA was short of its targeted staffing levels for air traffic controllers by about 3,500. This has been an issue for over a decade, resulting in mandatory overtime for many controllers requiring them to work six-day weeks, 10-hour days.
“The increased stress and fatigue that comes from working long hours without pay cannot be overstated,” said President Nick Daniels of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association in a statement at the onset of the government shutdown.
“Despite the shutdown, there is one thing that will not change – air traffic controllers are incredibly proud of the public service they provide, and they will answer the bell without fail. They will continue to perform the vital work they do throughout the shutdown to safeguard our National Airspace System. They will guide you home,” he added.
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