Atlanta officials are leading the charge to support Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport who are currently working without pay amid the government shutdown.
Congresswoman Nikema Williams and Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens joined forces to launch a program aimed at lightening the financial load for the approximately 1,200 employees working at the world’s busiest airport.
“Republicans shut down the government, leaving thousands of federal employees—including TSA workers at Hartsfield-Jackson, the world’s busiest and most efficient airport—without pay, even as they continue to serve the public,” Williams’ office said in a statement.
City officials will provide two meal vouchers per shift to all full-time TSA employees, and part-time employees will also receive a voucher, according to Fox 5 News. Atlanta Employees will also have access to free parking. The program begins Oct. 11.
The outlet also reported that other airport vendors may offer elevated discounts or free meals for TSA staff.
TGI Fridays, which has three restaurants at the airport, announced that it will offer one free meal per day from a “specially curated menu” to TSA and Air Traffic Control employees through Oct. 23.
“TSA and air traffic control workers keep our country moving, and we wanted to do our part to support them. Whether they’re grabbing a meal at one of our airport locations during a shift or sitting down at a neighborhood Fridays® after a long day, we want them to know we appreciate them and we’re here for them,” Ray Blanchette, CEO of TGI Fridays, noted in a press release.
Aaron Barker, who leads the local Association of Federal Employees (AFGE), recalls TSA employees adjusting to cope with the financial strain of the last government shutdown.
“In the past, when we did have the 35-day shutdown, most officers toughed it out,” stated Barker. “They did try to find a way to get to work even if it wasn’t every day, or try to find a way to find a carpool together. Unfortunately, some officers ended up sleeping in their cars at the airport,” Barker told 11 Alive News.
TSA employees will receive a partial paycheck on Oct. 11, but they will not receive any additional pay until the government shutdown ends.
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