TSA workers face more pay delays as Senate blocks DHS funding vote
Spring break travel hits airports as TSA pay remains stalled
Spring break travel is under pressure as TSA agents work without pay following a stalled Senate vote.
PHOENIX - Travel delays are mounting as spring break kicks off, and Transportation Security Administration workers are expected to go even longer without pay. This comes after the Senate blocked another test vote to end the Department of Homeland Security shutdown.
The backstory:
On March 10, Republicans rejected a Democratic plan to fund the DHS, with the exception of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Since the partial shutdown began in mid-February, more than 300 TSA employees have reportedly left the agency, leading to continued delays for fliers.
"It's just very unfair to have to be in this situation again, not being compensated for what we are entitled to as transportation security officers within TSA," one worker said.
>>Airport security strain during shutdown grows as unpaid TSA officers warn, ‘We’re hurting’
While some travelers at other airports have been stalled for more than four hours at security checkpoints, things have mostly run smoothly at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport.
The good news for travelers at Sky Harbor—we’re not seeing those massive security lines that other airports are experiencing. But the TSA agents here are still dealing with the impacts of this shutdown.
Airlines for America reports that a record 171 million people are expected to fly between March 1 and April 30. Despite the high volume, Sky Harbor’s 800 TSA agents are working around the clock to keep lines moving.
What they're saying:
"What I've seen at other airports is the fact that the lines are really long, all the way out the doors, and here in Phoenix, of course, you can see, not the case," one traveler noted. "So far there’s no line, so it should be quick and easy."
Pascual Contreras, a Phoenix-based TSA agent, credited the staff for the efficiency but noted the personal toll. "The impact is life-altering. We've had people that are still recovering from the last one," Contreras said. "They took loans out. They took out their retirement to cover childcare, rent, mortgage, car payments and food. Just basic necessities of life."
However, Jovan Petkovic, a TSA employee and union representative, suggests that the high turnout of workers may be driven by pressure from leadership.
"Within Phoenix alone, a lot are coming to work because of fear," Petkovic said. "There’s fear of being disciplined. And that’s ultimately the message that management here is sending to the workforce."
Petkovic alleged that TSA leadership in Arizona is making it difficult for employees to seek outside income. "They are making it extremely difficult for employees to request, 'Hey, I’m at my threshold... I need to go Uber, I need to do something to earn money now because I need cash to make a living.' People are afraid to do what they have to do."
TSA officials have not yet responded to inquiries regarding these concerns.