Outside of airports across the country, air traffic controllers are gathering to hand out leaflets. Scrawled across the front in red letters, the pamphlets read “End the Government Shutdown Immediately!”
On Tuesday, air traffic controllers received their first zero-dollar paycheck since the federal government shutdown began at midnight on Oct. 1.
All the while, the National Air Traffic Controller Association says members are working mandatory overtime 6 days a week for 10-hour days.
The association says its members are handing out leaflets at nearly 20 airports across the U.S., including Salt Lake City International airport, calling for an end to the shutdown.
In a press statement this week, Nick Daniels, president of the association, said air traffic controllers are carrying the full weight of the shutdown.
“Every single day we move over 45,000 aircraft [and] three million passengers," Daniels said. "We move tons of cargo that keeps America running — protecting the National Airspace System, and even more importantly, people's lives.”
Daniels said he’s spoken to controllers who have begun taking on second jobs as Uber and DoorDash drivers just to make ends meet.
“Our job is to communicate for the safety of the flying public," he said, "and as this shutdown continues, and air traffic controllers are not paid for the vital work that they do day in and day out, that leads to an unnecessary distraction, and they cannot be 100% focused on their jobs — which makes this system less safe every day that this shutdown continues.”
According to the National Air Traffic Controller Association, over 2,000 of its members have been furloughed as a result of the government shutdown.
In an interview with CNN, Daniels said the situation had been fragile even before the shutdown began — the country was already short nearly 4,000 air traffic controllers, with only about three-quarters of the positions filled.
In a press statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said it would slow traffic into some airports to ensure safe operations amid growing staffing shortages.
Speaking at a briefing, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt warned of increased delays, disruptions, and cancellations heading into the holiday season.
She blamed Democrats for the shutdown, saying they are also shutting down American air travel.
Meanwhile, Democrats have pushed back, blaming Republicans for the shutdown and saying the majority party is refusing to negotiate.