Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Even though the US faces a severe shortage of air traffic controllers, those who call in sick rather than work without pay during the federal government shutdown are at risk of being fired, the US Transportation Secretary warned.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said this week he understands controllers’ frustrations and concerns. But during a hearing on Thursday fox businessHe said that by calling in sick they are creating major disruption in air traffic and this will not be tolerated.
“If we have some employees who are not as dedicated as we need, we will let them go,” Duffy said, adding that more than 90% of controllers are coming to work during the shutdown. “… This is a small fraction of the people who don’t show up to work. They can cause disruption on this massive scale. And that’s what you’re seeing rippling across our skies today.”
airports Delays have been experienced across the country this week due to a shortage of controllers, more than half of which Duffy attributed to missing work. The worst problems have occurred at smaller airports in Burbank, California, and Nashville, Tennessee, but there have also been delays at major hubs like Newark, New Jersey, Chicago, Denver, and Newark. Dallas-Fort Worth,
Even a small number of controllers not reporting for work is causing problems because Federal Aviation Administration There is a huge shortage of them. Duffy has prioritized increasing hiring to address the shortage over the next few years, but he said controllers who are “problem children” could still be removed.
A Transportation Department spokesperson reinforced that message in a statement Friday, saying, “If there are the rare bad actors who do not intentionally come forward and cause disruption to our operations, the consequences are inevitable.”
The controllers union, the National Association of Air Traffic Controllers, also stressed that members need to keep working during the shutdown.
“Let us be clear. NATCA does not condone a coordinated activity that disrupts the national airspace system or harms our reputation. Such actions are illegal. They put your careers at risk and destroy our ability to effectively advocate for you and your families,” Mick Devine, the union’s executive vice president, said in a video to members.
Like other affected federal employees, comptrollers are worried about how they will pay their bills if they don’t get paid during the shutdown. Duffy and the union president have acknowledged the unfairness of their situation, which adds more stress to their already stressful jobs.
NATCA President Nick Daniels said controllers may have to take time off to pursue other jobs to make ends meet during the shutdown. But Duffy said that right now, he thinks controllers who are missing work are “lashing out” in frustration.
Daniels said, “What’s eventually going to happen is that when people don’t have money, they’ll have time to start making life choices and life decisions. And not have to wait for air traffic controllers to break down because of debt, credit card debt, paying bills, gas, groceries, taking out mortgages. These things are not going to stop.”
Flight disruptions caused by controllers missing work could increase pressure on Congress to reach an agreement to end the shutdown. This is what happened in 2019, but till now democrat And Republicans have shown little sign of getting closer to ending their impasse.