The government shutdown has caused TSA employees to not get paid. Considering that they provide negative overall value to the nation and travelers, they are still technically getting over paid. However, getting them to pay travelers is not feasible. They generally provide very little protection for the inconvenience and humiliation they inflict on travelers. The real security in an airplane cabin is a secure cockpit and passengers who will fight hijackers to the death now that we know what they are up to. I'm also still waiting to hear a good explanation of why banning pocket knives from aircraft and other great TSA ideas enhances our security. Basic TSA-Pre screening without those ridiculously expensive scanners (also known as what was done before 9-11) is also perfectly adequate.
The Huffington Post has a whiny article about the TSA employees not getting paid. Of course, all government employees including those not actually showing up for work will get back pay once the appropriations bills are passed. This is unfortunate because those not actually working should definitely not get paid - that might have the effect of having those employees pressing more appropriately for a responsible appropriation bill to be passed.
The article mentions that TSA employees are calling in sick at a higher rate than normal. Management should find out who is calling in sick falsely and fire them in order to discourage this practice and maintain discipline.
As I have traveled by air during the government shutdown, I have not seen any negative consequences except some TSA employees whining about not getting paid and saying things like "You aren't getting bins for putting your personal items through the X-Ray conveyor because of the government shutdown." In some cases, they have expedited passenger processing by treating everyone like TSA - Pre travelers which is what the default for ALL travelers should be anyway. In this case, the shutdown is actually improving service rather than reducing it.
All government employees have to deal with the vagaries of government shutdowns. That goes with the job. Nobody forced them to work for the government.
There are two things that TSA employees should be doing to ensure they get paid.
First, tell the Democrats to stop being an obstacle by not funding the border wall. Is there anyone who thinks the President won't sign an appropriation bill with Border Wall funding? Doesn't that make the Democrats the obstructionists to reopening the government? There will be appropriations if the Democrats agree to do that, and that will mean paychecks for TSA employees. Telling the Democrats they should go along with the President is unlikely because public employees and their unions are basically a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democrat Party.
Second, they should support privatization of the security function at airports so, as private employees, they will still get paid when the federal government shuts down. That won't happen because private employees are more easily fired for incompetence and poor performance which are both rampant in the TSA.
If TSA employees and their unions aren't doing those things, they don't deserve any sympathy for not getting paid when the government shuts down. They should also be fired for calling in sick when they are not.
The Huffington Post has a whiny article about the TSA employees not getting paid. Of course, all government employees including those not actually showing up for work will get back pay once the appropriations bills are passed. This is unfortunate because those not actually working should definitely not get paid - that might have the effect of having those employees pressing more appropriately for a responsible appropriation bill to be passed.
The article mentions that TSA employees are calling in sick at a higher rate than normal. Management should find out who is calling in sick falsely and fire them in order to discourage this practice and maintain discipline.
As I have traveled by air during the government shutdown, I have not seen any negative consequences except some TSA employees whining about not getting paid and saying things like "You aren't getting bins for putting your personal items through the X-Ray conveyor because of the government shutdown." In some cases, they have expedited passenger processing by treating everyone like TSA - Pre travelers which is what the default for ALL travelers should be anyway. In this case, the shutdown is actually improving service rather than reducing it.
All government employees have to deal with the vagaries of government shutdowns. That goes with the job. Nobody forced them to work for the government.
There are two things that TSA employees should be doing to ensure they get paid.
First, tell the Democrats to stop being an obstacle by not funding the border wall. Is there anyone who thinks the President won't sign an appropriation bill with Border Wall funding? Doesn't that make the Democrats the obstructionists to reopening the government? There will be appropriations if the Democrats agree to do that, and that will mean paychecks for TSA employees. Telling the Democrats they should go along with the President is unlikely because public employees and their unions are basically a wholly owned subsidiary of the Democrat Party.
Second, they should support privatization of the security function at airports so, as private employees, they will still get paid when the federal government shuts down. That won't happen because private employees are more easily fired for incompetence and poor performance which are both rampant in the TSA.
If TSA employees and their unions aren't doing those things, they don't deserve any sympathy for not getting paid when the government shuts down. They should also be fired for calling in sick when they are not.
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