Air traffic controller Jack Criss is now clearing takeoffs and takeout orders. The single dad took on a side gig as a DoorDash delivery driver during the second-longest government shutdown in modern history in order to make some extra cash and cover his daughter’s high school tuition.
For the past few weeks, air traffic controllers have been receiving partial pay – but next week, they’re expected to miss their first full paychecks as the funding lapse continues.
“It’s been incredibly difficult. You can feel the tension, and it’s heavy…and it hurts,” Criss said in an interview that aired on “CBS Saturday Mornings.”
As the government shutdown rolls into Day 25, Congress remains unable to strike a deal. The Senate failed to advance measuresThursday that would pay federal employees like Criss.
ATCs should be striking right now. We don’t need air travel. Shut down the skies and the Orange Reich will suffer.
Nobody with any number of years in is going to risk losing their retirement.
They’ve done that. Reagan fired all of them, which was kinda insane.
and we never recovered to pre-reagan ATC levels too. i think we still have remenents of the atc from reagan still working right now,.
Eh, the world is a lot more dependent on air travel than we were in the 80s. I don’t think Trump will be able to do the same
That doesn’t stop them from doing it again. Striking always carries the risk of being fired
being furloughed is essentially bein unemployed right now anyways, no harm in quitting or taking LOA.
This is a cringe and tone deaf response
How?
Strike. Get fired. Replaced
0 change made
That’s why you organise.
They’re not gonna be able to fire all of you, and won’t be able to replace you if you get sympathy strikes from the military atc, and/or pilots, and/or mechanics, etc.
Replaced by who? How fast?
The original comment that was being replied to was noting how that was done in the Reagan era—all were fired and replaced with military ones till replacements were gotten.
How the fuck is that even considered a strike?
If I don’t pay my mechanic, and they refuse to fix my car, is that a strike?
If it isn’t illegal to not work when you aren’t paid, that just a form of slavery
5 U.S.C. § 7311 essentially says federal employees do not have the legal right to strike. the last time ATC went on strike it did not go well for them
If they strike during a shutdown, what’s stopping them from bringing in private companies to replace the ATC workers? They’re literally taking money from billionaires to pay for some military shit and nothing is stopping them. I mean we’re so cooked.
Theres not enough. And the harder they push those that are left the more likely they will leave too.
that’s essentially what Regan did back in the early 80s. used military controllers to replace the fired ones, decertified and dissolved the existing union. regardless of what the media and Duffy and the rest of the admin says, ATC are ultimately expendable in their eyes, even if it’s too the detriment of everyone.
And it won’t be better now, but change does not come without a fight.
They have a union, so they should have been collecting dues for a strike fund, right? If not, they need to start now, then strike as soon as they can.
Oh they said they aren’t allowed! In that case lol
I’m not an air traffic controller but it seems they haven’t been treated very well lately to Begin with and now they are asked to work without pay. At that point I would stop caring about what the people in charge told me.
Does anybody, really?