Keep Us Safe: End the Shutdown! San Diego Airport Safety Workers Protest Government Shutdown

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Keep Us Safe: End the Shutdown!

San Diego Airport Safety Workers Protest Government Shutdown

TSA officers and Systems Technicians Working Without Pay Joined Furloughed Airport Safety Inspectors in Rally to Reopen Government

(SAN DIEGO) January 25, 2019 --  Airport safety workers took to the streets of the San Diego International Airport on Friday to protest the government shutdown as they marked their 35th day without pay.  TSA officers joined airport safety inspectors and systems technicians to demand that the government re-open, pay airport workers their due and renew its commitment to keeping travelers safe.

More than 3,000 federal employees in San Diego and their families are facing the real-world consequences of the government closure. Earlier today, volunteers prepared emergency food relief for airport workers who have gone without a paycheck for more than a month. To add insult to injury, workers received paychecks in the mail made out for “$0.00”.

“As a TSA worker, I’m proud of the work I do. I care about keeping people safe, but working without pay puts my family in jeopardy,” said Sean Root, a TSA officer at San Diego International Airport and member of AFGE Local 1260. “All I want is to work hard and be able to pay my bills.”

The ongoing political standoff in Washington puts the livelihoods of thousands of workers and the safety of travelers at risk. 420,000 federal employees nationwide, including TSA officers, and are still working without pay while 380,000 are locked out of their jobs.

“Enough is enough,” said George McCubbin, National Vice-President of AFGE District 12. “Today marks the second paycheck that 800,000 federal employees will not be receiving. End the shutdown now.”

Furloughed aviation safety inspectors are responsible for inspecting aircraft and pilot readiness. Their systems technician colleagues are still on the job, in charge of monitoring and repairing vital radar, surveillance and aviation communications systems.  If and when the strain of the ongoing shutdown will lead to safety issues remains a concern of local workers and leaders alike.

Congressman Scott Peters joined the workers’ call to action saying, “Hardworking public servants—like the workers at San Diego International Airport—are about to miss their second paycheck all because of a senseless shutdown. It’s ridiculous that employees and operations that help keep Americans safe are strained because of a fight over an ineffective wall that’s nothing more than a campaign gimmick. It’s time for Senate Republicans and the president to put the American people first, as they were elected to do, and end the shutdown.”

ABOUT (PASS):

Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS) represents more than 11,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Defense (DoD) who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect aircraft and keep complex aviation systems functioning.

ABOUT AFGE:

Members of AFGE, the largest federal employee union representing 700,000 federal government workers, include Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Officers who are on the frontlines of our airport security.

ABOUT THE SAN DIEGO & IMPERIAL COUNTIES LABOR COUNCIL:

The San Diego and Imperial Counties Labor Council represents more than 200,000 working families standing together. At the Labor Council, nurses, teachers, firefighters, service workers and construction tradespeople join healthcare workers, hotel workers, janitors and zoo employees in their common fight for a voice on the job and at the decision making table. The Council and its 136 member unions seek to improve the lives of working people by advocating for living wages, housing that is affordable, quality healthcare and a secure retirement for all.

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Contacts:

PASS AFGE

Joan Matthiesen Ryan Mims

PASS Region III VP AFGE District 12 Legislative Political Organizer

joan.matthiesen@passmember.net mimsr@afge.org

(858) 663-8571 (202) 341-0470


San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council

Laura Fink

laura@rebellecommunications.com

(619) 273-3465

SanDiego CLC