TSA agents working without full paychecks amid partial government shutdown
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Federal agents checking luggage and running security at airports are again working with only partial pay amid a partial government shutdown. That’s creating steep financial hardships for those key workers, a Minnesota union leader told says.
“People's morale is very bad,” said Paul Uecker with the American Federation of Government Employees Local 899, the union representing TSA agents in Minnesota.
“They're not able to pay for their child care,” he added. “With the gas prices recently going up, they're not able to pay for gas to simply be able to come into work.”
The government has been in partial shutdown since Jan. 31. Lawmakers refused to fund the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration, without a deal to overhaul immigration enforcement after agents fatally shot two people in Minneapolis.
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TSA agents also went without pay was during the historic 43-day government shutdown that began in October. Back then, people would bring donations and gift cards, but that kind of support is less this time, said Uecker, the union’s vice president for greater Minnesota.
Agents received a partial paycheck on March 2 and are expecting another partial check in the coming days, he added.
Listen to the full conversation by clicking the player above.
