The Central Illinois Regional Airport Authority [CIRA] is asking its community to support unpaid TSA workers as a partial government shutdown extends into its second month.
A deal to fund the Department of Homeland Security remains in limbo as federal elected officials, including President Trump, continue to debate a deal, NPR reports.
In Bloomington, CIRA is seeking community help to support its 35 Transportation Security Administration [TSA] workers.
CIRA is asking for donations to be made at the airport’s security checkpoint during business hours, such as gift cards to grocery stores and gas stations in $20 denominations or non-perishable food items and household products. Homemade items are not accepted.
Melissa Beaver, manager of marketing and communications at CIRA, said the airport
asked the TSA manager for realistic efforts to help employees who are struggling.
“It would be being able to go to the grocery store and buy groceries and food, gas cards, because we have TSA officers who are driving here to Bloomington to work without getting paid from places like Flanagan, Springfield and Decatur,” she said. “And with gas prices right now, it just makes it even harder with not getting paid.”
On day 39 of the partial government shutdown, TSA officers across the country have missed at least one full paycheck. Beaver estimated most of the officers at CIRA to have missed two or more.
Community support
Although turmoil persists in Washington, Beaver said the workers in Bloomington are standing strong.
TSA lines at major airports have increased their wait times, sometimes up to several hours. Beaver said CIRA is mostly business as usual.
“They’ve been very dependable, showing up to work every day…and we’ve had a lot of community support and people reaching out to say, ‘How can we help?” Beaver said. “And we really appreciate the job that the TSA officers do at [CIRA].”
Lines have not increased dramatically, and every one of the 35 TSA employees has reported for work.
“Again, traveling through a regional airport, a smaller airport, you’re not going to have the types of issues that you have at the huge hub airports,” she said.
CIRA has also asked the community for their patience as TSA officers continue working through the partial shutdown. Beaver said travelers have been great at it.
“And we’ll check in with the TSA officers, especially there at the checkpoint, and they say that the passengers have been really empathetic,” she said. “They have expressed their appreciation and thanks for the job that they’re doing and for showing up every day without getting a paycheck.”
National transportation
On Sunday, President Trump announced he was directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, agents to major airports to assist long security lines, according to NPR.
On Facebook on Monday, CIRA said there were no plans to put ICE agents at their checkpoint. Beaver said that is still the case.
“And usually that’s going to happen at the huge airport hubs where there are long lines and people are waiting for hours in that security line,” she said.
So, CIRA’s size and continued workforce of TSA agents do not warrant any needs for assistance at this time.
