The U.S. federal government shutdown has entered its 25th day, affecting the lives of hundreds of thousands of federal employees whose incomes have been disrupted. In New York, an air traffic controller named Jack Criss revealed in a television interview that he had to take on a part-time job delivering food through DoorDash after work to pay for his daughter’s high school tuition.
As a single father, Criss shared that while air traffic controllers had been receiving partial pay over the past few weeks, they are facing the prospect of not receiving any income at all next week. He emphasized on CBS’ “Saturday Morning” program that air traffic control is an extremely safety-sensitive position where there is no room for errors. The combination of professional pressure and uncertainty about when they will receive their paychecks has doubled the stress for individuals in such roles.
To make ends meet, Criss has tapped into a portion of his retirement savings and even taken out high-interest short-term loans. Despite working part-time delivering food, he admitted that his monthly income is far from enough to cover his daughter’s tuition gap.
The U.S. Department of Transportation recently acknowledged that as the shutdown persists, there has been an increase in air traffic control departments across the country calling in sick, resulting in understaffing at airports and causing some flights to be delayed or canceled.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stressed that safety is always the top priority, stating, “If the control tower or air traffic control center is understaffed, we must delay or cancel flights.” He also publicly appealed to air traffic controllers not to take on extra jobs like delivering food or working for Uber, urging them to focus on airspace control. However, he acknowledged that many employees are indeed facing significant financial pressure to support their families.
Criss bluntly expressed that for working-class individuals like himself, there is simply no choice but to find ways to earn money to sustain their lives. His story gained widespread attention after being aired on television. Subsequently, DoorDash reached out to him, promising to provide $10,000 in assistance to help him cover his daughter’s tuition. While Criss acknowledged that the money would be a huge help if received, he feared it might still not be enough for him to give up this side job.
This government shutdown is the second longest in modern U.S. history, stemming from a deadlock between the two parties in Congress over budget and spending bills. Due to the failure to pass appropriation bills, funding for some federal agencies has been interrupted, resulting in hundreds of thousands of “non-essential” federal employees being forced to take unpaid leave. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of “essential positions” workers such as air traffic controllers, border agents, and transportation security officers are required to continue working without receiving their pay.
Currently, the Senate has faced consecutive failed votes and has been unable to reach consensus on a temporary funding solution. If the shutdown continues, beyond the impact on federal employees’ livelihoods, the aviation, transportation, public safety, and economy will all suffer even greater repercussions.