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The union representing Transportation Security Administration agents at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport has a message for President Donald Trump's administration: End the government shutdown.

Sharif Mehanna is a TSA agent who represents the American Federation of Government Employees Local 899 as secretary and steward.

“We cannot sustain this,” he told MPR News host Clay Masters “It’s gotta end.”

TSA agents have gone more than six weeks without pay under a federal government shutdown. Mehanna said agents have received some pay under a new Trump executive order but it doesn’t go far enough.

He spoke with Masters about the shutdown, TSA agent morale and why agents at MSP airport have been able to avoid some of the longer lines seen at other airports. 

Press play above to listen to their conversation. 

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Transportation Security Administration agents have gone more than six weeks without pay due to a federal government shutdown. MPR News host Clay Masters spoke with a local union representative who urged Congress to end the shutdown. 

“We cannot sustain this,” local TSA union leader Sharif Mehanna said of the government impasse that's led to TSA workers not being paid in full. “It’s gotta end.”

Partial pay for some Minnesota TSA agents is not enough, union says

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