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TSA lines up 300% at some airports due to government shutdown

Posted at 6:24 PM, Jan 09, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-09 20:02:24-05

LAFAYETTE – As the government shutdown continues into its third work week since its inception on December 22, essential government employees like TSA workers are starting to push back.

Call-out rates among TSA employees at Dallas/Fort Worth International are up 300% since the shutdown. According to a TSA representative, the call-out rates among TSA employees have more to do with workers not being able to afford to come in to work without receiving a paycheck.

But at Lafayette Regional Airport, it was business as usual on Wednesday. Airport Executive Director Steven Picou says wait times for departures have not seen a change since the shutdown.

“Lafayette hasn’t experienced anything out of the ordinary,” Picou said. “Lines are moving as they have in the past, so we have seen no impact from the government shutdown.”

In Lafayette, businesses like Olde Tyme Grocery are helping fellow community members by offering free lunches to TSA employees.

“You know, with the government shutdown, these guys aren’t getting a paycheck,” said Olde Tyme manager Josh Duhon. “So, Our Lord and Savior Church reached out to us and was looking for some food donations, and we were happy to donate to the community.”

TSA screeners are among roughly 420,000 federal employees deemed essential who are working through the shutdown. Agents will continue working without paychecks for another week unless government funding is reinstituted on Thursday.