While we’ll see if anything comes of this, the Trump administration is reportedly seeking a creative way to pay air traffic controllers, as the government shutdown enters its fourth week…
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Trump looking for $500 million per month for ATC pay
The government in the United States has been shut down since the beginning of the month, so it has now been almost three full weeks. Government employees are still expected to go to work, though aren’t being paid, which is obviously a major issue.
So far, we’ve seen fairly minimal disruptions for air travelers, in terms of staffing issues resulting from the shutdown. We’ve seen some minor problems, but they haven’t been widespread. To avoid things getting worse, it looks like the Trump administration is pursuing another solution.
According to Politico, Trump is exploring ways to pay air traffic controllers while the shutdown continues, according to sources familiar with the matter. This is because flight disruptions could become one of the most visible impacts of the shutdown, and the optics of that are bad for any politician.
The government would need to find over $500 million per month to cover the payrolls of the 13,000 air traffic controllers, so that’s a significant amount of money. They all received partial paychecks last Tuesday, but will receive no pay with their “paycheck” next week, assuming the shutdown continues.
I struggle to figure out how the Trump administration could make this happen, so I’m curious to see if anything comes of this. For that matter, it seems unfair to pay air traffic controllers (already among the better paid government employees), and leave all other government employees to essentially fend for themselves.
The aviation industry has big implications for society
I know that for many of us, the aviation industry is the center of the world. 😉 But even beyond us aviation geeks, what happens in the industry has far reaching implications.
It’s worth noting that during the last government shutdown under a Trump presidency, in 2018-2019, aviation played a major part in bringing it to an end. That shutdown had lasted over a month, and increased sick calls from air traffic controllers were reportedly a key factor in ending the shutdown.
That’s because air traffic controller sick calls lead to huge flight delays and cancellations, and if there’s one thing that the public doesn’t like, it’s delayed flights. Our air traffic control system is already pushed to the limits under the best of circumstances, let alone when any problems arise.
Air traffic controllers no doubt hold a lot of power here, even though they’re not allowed to strike, or to have any sort of a coordinated walk-out. But if a good number of them started calling in sick (which I’m of course not encouraging), there’s no denying that the impact on the system would be massive, and it would force the government to do something.
I know many air traffic controllers have taken up second jobs to make ends meet. They already have stressful jobs and work long shifts, so that’s less than ideal.
Bottom line
The Trump administration is reportedly trying to figure out a way to pay air traffic controllers during the government shutdown. I’m not sure how realistic that is (it doesn’t seem realistic, but the Trump administration is also known for its “creativity”), but it would require over $500 million per month.
Any sort of air traffic disruptions would almost certainly force an end to the shutdown, as that was the case several years back as well. After all, people don’t want anything getting in the way of their vacations (well, and other travel).
Do you think something will come of this plan for air traffic controllers?
Perhaps he can use his own money rather than demolishing parts of the White House and turning it into a bordello.
I am very empathetic to the plight of everyone impacted by the shutdown, but paying ATC, or the military, or Congress is a hard “no” for me.
Start paying people and three things happen. First, Trump pays who he wants to pay and the rest can eat cake. Second, by paying the military and ATC the pressure is reduced in Congress to act like adults for a change and compromise. Third, this is used...
I am very empathetic to the plight of everyone impacted by the shutdown, but paying ATC, or the military, or Congress is a hard “no” for me.
Start paying people and three things happen. First, Trump pays who he wants to pay and the rest can eat cake. Second, by paying the military and ATC the pressure is reduced in Congress to act like adults for a change and compromise. Third, this is used as an excuse to dismantle agencies needed for a well-functioning government and society.
The Dems never met a dollar they didn't want to spend. What's wrong with the continuing resolution?
If you have to ask what wrong’s you’ve not been paying attention, or you just don’t care.
As sorry a character as Trump is, he is showing that he is a man of the people by paying atc and the military while the democrats are being elitest to try to shut them out. The Senate should debate 24/7 until there is an agreement, attendance required or prison with torture
Ah, ‘man of the people’ … $40 billion to Argentina… and $1 billion to renovate his ‘gift’ 747 from Qatar… and a gold ballroom… second Gilded Age it seems… let them eat (McDonalds)!
Trump most certainly is not a "man of the people." As for the democrats, they are trying to keep subsidies for health insurance for the lower income portion of the population (and not illegal immigrants, who are disqualified from such benefits). But I do agree with you that the Senate and the House (who is denying a significant portion of the state of Arizona without representation by refusing to swear in their recently elected Representative)...
Trump most certainly is not a "man of the people." As for the democrats, they are trying to keep subsidies for health insurance for the lower income portion of the population (and not illegal immigrants, who are disqualified from such benefits). But I do agree with you that the Senate and the House (who is denying a significant portion of the state of Arizona without representation by refusing to swear in their recently elected Representative) should both be kept in session to work this out.
The House isn't needed for now. It is the Senate that needs to debate 24/7, no exceptions except maybe 5-7 minute bathroom breaks every hour or two.
Sorry but Trump doesn’t have the power to decide how to spend the government’s money without the approval of Congress. Whomever you blame for the shutdown and whether it’s a good thing to pay service people, it’s a blatant violation of the Constitution.
Presidents have been siezing congressional authority for years. Obama did it with DACA and modifying immigration enforcement. Congress can always sue, but what politican is going to not support our troops in public.
Whilst I don’t disagree that they deserve and earn every cent, finding out just how much air traffic controllers make has left me confused as to how any are living paycheck to paycheck
Why pay them, they have to work even if they don't get paid under the law right?
What are they going to do if they don't have their ATC job, work at Maccas?
People are too caught up in the fact that they need to get paid for their jobs, should be happy enough that they are serving Trump and the country, you don't see our President talking about getting paid for dedicating his time for free to the country already.
Jplat, you idiot! Trump ha never accepted a paycheck for being president.
Correct! He accepts ‘gratuities’ (bribes) instead via his own cryptocurrency, far exceeding $400K, likely billions of dollars… most corrupt, criminal President ever.
ATC, the military, and really all government workers should be paid regardless of a shutdown. Congress is the entity whose members should not be paid during such failed negotiations (even though, arguably, most congresspersons make their real money from insider trading and lobbying 'gratuities,' which is a different problem that really needs solving, too.) That 2019 bill signed after those shutdowns should have done more than just ensure their backpay; it should have maintained existing...
ATC, the military, and really all government workers should be paid regardless of a shutdown. Congress is the entity whose members should not be paid during such failed negotiations (even though, arguably, most congresspersons make their real money from insider trading and lobbying 'gratuities,' which is a different problem that really needs solving, too.) That 2019 bill signed after those shutdowns should have done more than just ensure their backpay; it should have maintained existing funding and pay for those government workers throughout the shutdown, then settle the difference later.
There should be a Constitutional Amendment that anytime there is a shutdown for more than 2 days due to Congress' failure to pass a budget (separate from the President refusing to sign it) then every sitting member of Congress is barred from ever running for federal office again once (Congress or President) their term ends.
Also, I think the 2019 Bill, which was signed by Trump, mandated backpay for government workers during shutdowns, even...
There should be a Constitutional Amendment that anytime there is a shutdown for more than 2 days due to Congress' failure to pass a budget (separate from the President refusing to sign it) then every sitting member of Congress is barred from ever running for federal office again once (Congress or President) their term ends.
Also, I think the 2019 Bill, which was signed by Trump, mandated backpay for government workers during shutdowns, even if they were furloughed. Of course, Trump is now trying to get around it by either firing government employees or finding some other excuse to not give backpay to those furloughed.
Prior to the Carter administration, a failure to pass a budget meant the government kept operating based on the previous fiscal year's budget. Carter's AG made an ahistorically and abnormally strict reading of the Anti-Deficiency Act and based on that reading forced the government to shut down. Since then both sides have basically taken it as gospel that in absence of a new budget the government must cease to operate, which is just extraordinarily stupid...
Prior to the Carter administration, a failure to pass a budget meant the government kept operating based on the previous fiscal year's budget. Carter's AG made an ahistorically and abnormally strict reading of the Anti-Deficiency Act and based on that reading forced the government to shut down. Since then both sides have basically taken it as gospel that in absence of a new budget the government must cease to operate, which is just extraordinarily stupid and could be reversed legitimately easily. We shouldn't NEED to ensure backpay during shutdowns, shutdowns shouldn't be a thing period.
This will get solved before Thanksgiving. No politician wants the shutdown to extend to a major holiday and all the implications that will cause with not only massive delays, but safety.
Sure hope so. And ideally it also means that those subsidies for 20 million American citizens healthcare is added back to the budget, because people will die because of that if it is not resolved. Healthcare is a human right. We deserve better in the USA.
Those subsidies were added for the Covid emergency. That emergency has long past. Just throwing money at healthcare will never reform the system that is broken.
good for him for finding a way to keep ATC working and the controllers paid.
If you fund enough services during the shutdown, social security is included, then maybe you start lopping off parts of the government that really AREN'T necessary.
for those who didn't notice, this shutdown is a war of attrition. If the outcome is a smaller government, we might all be winners.
It is quite the effective (albeit forced) exercise of determining what is actually important and essential. If we don’t feel the pain of it being gone, maybe we don’t actually need the service.
For once, I completely agree with you.
You 'small government' types pretend to care about the Constitution, but clearly, you are the industrialists who back the authoritarian, and you don't care until it affects you personally. That's a bad bargain, Tim. We want Congress (elected representatives of the people and the states) to have its checks and balances on the executive and the judiciary, through its power of the purse (to set the budget, etc.) Lest we forget why we declared independence...
You 'small government' types pretend to care about the Constitution, but clearly, you are the industrialists who back the authoritarian, and you don't care until it affects you personally. That's a bad bargain, Tim. We want Congress (elected representatives of the people and the states) to have its checks and balances on the executive and the judiciary, through its power of the purse (to set the budget, etc.) Lest we forget why we declared independence from the British monarchy.
Bigger issue is that these small government types clearly haven’t read the Constitution. If they did so they would know that, regardless of whether paying the military or ATC would be good (I think both are), the President can’t do so without congressional authorization, which he currently lacks.
"The authoritarian" was democratically elected and has a mandate from the people. There is a majority in the House and Senate that support opening govt. You have mixed up who the authoritarian party is here.
If you didn't already know Tim was MAGA...
He seems more like traditional Republican; which, is rare to find these days. Like, Tim is sane, but still wants the tax cuts and deregulation, even if it the quid pro quo is that we become a dictatorship under a madman. Tim, historically, it doesn’t work out well…
it is simply as stated by someone else above.
If government isn't funded long enough, people will decide what is necessary and what is not.
ATC is necessary. They shouldn't have to work w/o being paid.
Other pieces of government, not so much.
and, 1990, in case you missed it, Congress has had pathetic approval ratings for decades under both parties.
Congress doesn't work any more and that is why we are in this...
it is simply as stated by someone else above.
If government isn't funded long enough, people will decide what is necessary and what is not.
ATC is necessary. They shouldn't have to work w/o being paid.
Other pieces of government, not so much.
and, 1990, in case you missed it, Congress has had pathetic approval ratings for decades under both parties.
Congress doesn't work any more and that is why we are in this mess.
If there is anything "party" about it, it is that Reds say they won't be held hostage to the Blue's attempts to just keep allowing government to get more bloated instead of solving problems.
Throwing money because Congress on both sides can't figure out how to govern is what doesn't work.
Except, just like the way he “figured out”how to pay the military, it’s blatantly unconstitutional for the president to decide how to spend government money without at least some authorization from Congress.
This is the third government shutdown Trump and his Republican colleagues have afflicted this country with.
The first shutdown occurred when Trump, a Republican Senate, and a Republican House couldn't compromise and engage in basic governance.
The second shutdown occurred when Trump, a Republican Senate, and a Republican House couldn't compromise and engage in basic governance. It was resolved when the Democrats took control of the House.
This third shutdown is occurring--and stop me if...
This is the third government shutdown Trump and his Republican colleagues have afflicted this country with.
The first shutdown occurred when Trump, a Republican Senate, and a Republican House couldn't compromise and engage in basic governance.
The second shutdown occurred when Trump, a Republican Senate, and a Republican House couldn't compromise and engage in basic governance. It was resolved when the Democrats took control of the House.
This third shutdown is occurring--and stop me if you've heard this before!--because Trump, a Republican Senate, and a Republican House can't compromise and engage in basic governance.
It requires 60 votes in the senate. Dems aren't budging. Even CNN agrees it's the Dems holding this up. The CR passed the house. Facts matter.
Lol maybe the Fascists should stop acting like well fascists and not screw minorities and the poor.
You bet the Democrats are needed, and they want to ensure healthcare for Americans. It's nice to see them finally fight back and hold firm for once. Saddest thing earlier this year was seeing NY Senator Schumer fold for nothing. You give Trump an inch, he'll take a mile; time to say 'enough' and 'no more.' Hope they get what they want in the end. It's worth it.
Haha, what is the Dem end game? They dont control any branch of govt to implement their policies. Elections have consequences. This is a publicity stunt verse actually working to effect real change.
It's not like the looming budget deadline was a secret. Why didn't they have these discussions over the summer?
@Sel D
Nothing prevents the Republicans from ending the filibuster and passing a party line budget. The filibuster is a senate rule adopted at the start of each session, it does not need a 60 vote majority to remove and this Senate has already done so for specific items they wanted done. They won't do it here though because they desperately want their healthcare cuts to have a bipartisan veneer on them when real...
@Sel D
Nothing prevents the Republicans from ending the filibuster and passing a party line budget. The filibuster is a senate rule adopted at the start of each session, it does not need a 60 vote majority to remove and this Senate has already done so for specific items they wanted done. They won't do it here though because they desperately want their healthcare cuts to have a bipartisan veneer on them when real Americans get mad about their premiums skyrocketing.
This isn't the Dem's fault when Trump has refused to negotiate, the GOP majority has passed party-line rescissions to "deals" they made, and Vought has been given the power to just unilaterally impound funding. This is a Republican circus.
500.000.000/13.000 =38.461,54
38.461*12=461.532
So in average, an Air Traffic controller costs USD460k per year? Is that only the payrolls or also for other benefits ?
„ The government would need to find over $500 million per month to cover the payrolls of the 13,000 air traffic controllers, so that’s a significant amount of money. “
There's no shortage of money (see $40 billion to Argentina on a whim recently). This is all about priorities. Trump lied; it's not 'America First,' it's him first, everyone else last, and we all pay for it.
@1990 A loan to Argentina is different than giving away money. Did you say the same thing when Biden gave tens of billions to Ukraine to fund their govt operations? Your TDS is showing.
I agree; your math is correct. Let’s get the facts and figures straight. Ben, as editor, you dropped the ball big time on this one.
How would any of us like to work without pay, with mandatory overtime in a stressful occupation, with no assurance of when a paycheck would be received?
On a side note, check out the Freakanomics Radio podcast. Two recent podcasts which thoroughly investigate the current status of major issues impacting FAA and ATC. It’s excellent.
Trump could sell that plane the Qatari’s gifted him.
A good start; like, if Carter had to sell his peanut farm, fair is fair... valued at $400 million, plus, think of the savings of $1 billion his planned renovations to that 'gift'... hey, random, but why do the Qataris have a military base in.. Idaho? Are we... dah-ho?
A good start; like, if Carter had to sell his peanut farm, fair is fair... valued at $400 million, plus, think of the savings of $1 billion his planned renovations to that 'gift'... hey, random, but why do the Qataris have a military base in.. Idaho? Are we... dah-ho?
who would buy it? You, Steve?
You derek?
Trump could actually work to end this government shutdown that him and his party have caused but no
Agreed. If we can give away $40 billion to Argentina on a whim without asking Congress, then he can agree to continue the healthcare subsidies for American citizens... otherwise, so much for 'America First.'
Trump could start by diverting the funds that would otherwise be used to pay White House and Congressional salaries.
Or move the money from his royal ballroom, or not create a tacky arch behind the Lincoln Memorial, or return the two private jets Fellatio Barbie claims to need for for DHS, and the list goes on and on...
While I totally agree, that's not really where those folks make their money. The pittance $400K or $174K is nothing compared to the grift that most of these politicians run with insider trading and 'gratuities' from lobbying. However, the worst of them all at this point really is Trump with the crypto schemes and other self-dealing, stealing billions for him and his family, personally. If Carter had to give up his peanut farm, my goodness......
While I totally agree, that's not really where those folks make their money. The pittance $400K or $174K is nothing compared to the grift that most of these politicians run with insider trading and 'gratuities' from lobbying. However, the worst of them all at this point really is Trump with the crypto schemes and other self-dealing, stealing billions for him and his family, personally. If Carter had to give up his peanut farm, my goodness... there's really no comparison here to the excessive abuses of power, law, and privilege with #47.