Government Shutdown Leads Aviation Workers To Miss First Paycheck

Air traffic controllers will receive a paycheck of $0 thanks to the government shutdown .

A National Air Traffic Controllers Association spokesman confirmed Thursday that controllers will not be paid for their last two weeks of work. One controller’s pay stub reviewed by HuffPost shows a net pay of zero dollars for the pay period ending Jan. 5.

A group of organizations associated with the aviation industry sent a statement Thursday to President Donald Trump, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), explaining the impact on the U.S. aviation industry and urging the leaders to put an end to the partial shutdown.

“Civil aviation supports more than 7 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) and $1.5 trillion of economic impact, creating over 11.5 million jobs, but this shutdown is hampering our ability to function effectively,” the statement read.

The organizations go on to express concerns related to specific areas of work in the industry, including pilots, TSA workers and air traffic controllers.

“As the shutdown persists, excepted air traffic controllers and workers in technical operations, who operate and maintain safety-critical navigational aids, surveillance, and communications equipment, are performing highly skilled and safety-critical services without pay,” according to the statement, signed by groups that include the National Air Traffic Controllers Association and Airlines for America.

In addition to the lack of pay, the union highlighted in a tweet that the shutdown “threatens the safety and efficiency of our National Airspace System.”

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association and workers in the aviation industry gathered this afternoon outside the U.S. Capitol to call for ending the government shutdown. Lawmakers such as Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) joined air traffic controllers, pilots, flight attendants and other employees at the rally.

This story has been updated with additional details.

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