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> The government shutdown is taking a growing toll on air traffic controllers who are required to work without pay. Super weird that this part is actually lega
by watwut 1y ago
> The government shutdown is taking a growing toll on air traffic controllers who are required to work without pay.
Super weird that this part is actually legal. Either they should be required to work or goverment should be required to pay.
- silisili 1y agoIs this like mandatory you have to work, or ... you have to work or you'll be fired? If the former, I always wonder about folks who were set to retire, age out, got a new job they're starting, have health issues, etc..
- stronglikedan 1y agoThey'll get back pay when gov resumes, and they know it. It doesn't make it any easier to get by in the meantime, especially for those that live paycheck to paycheck.
- mokash 1y agoYep. Tricky for those that have childcare costs that they now cannot meet. Some in similar positions are forced out of work.
- testing22321 1y agoThe US has some very strange definitions of Freedom. Forcing people to work without paying them sounds like another one of those “uniquely American” problems like school shootings or healthcare.
- cosmicgadget 1y agoIt sucks but the alternative is to let the government spend nonexistent money in violation of statute. And nobody is forced to work, like being at a startup that has some liquidity hiccups, sometimes you take a delayed paycheck. Other times you find other work. And for the nonessential employees, they legally can't work but get paid for their time when the government reopens. If you aren't living paycheck to paycheck, it's a great opportunity to work on that Steam backlog.
- testing22321 1y agoAlways interesting seeing Americans justify the dysfunction of their system. This is terrible, and simply shouldn’t happen in what is ostensibly the best country in the world. Don’t justify it.
- cosmicgadget 1y agoI wish you had something more substantive than "don't justify it". The system is behaving correctly in the face of political dysfunction. Republicans don't want to fund healthcare subsidies and they don't want to negotiate appropriations in the house because Epstein. Democrats want healthcare subsidies. They have failed to compromise. It is good that the system is gradually grinding to a halt. It forces a resolution and provides valuable data for voters. It would be worse if the government could carry on indefinitely using pretend money. I especially don't trust this administration with the power of pretend money. It is also good that the government didn't fully deadlock on day 1. Many critical services remain functional. This isn't a great situation but I would be interested to hear about systems that handle deadlocks more gracefully. For sure I am cautiously on board with the idea of holding new elections in the event of legislative dysfunction.
- testing22321 1y agoThe US is $38 TRILLION Dollars in debt. I think it’s safe to say it’s been operating on pretend money for a long while. Also it’s bizarre you're fine with millionaires who are still getting paid while doing nothing to resolve their lack of agreement withholding the pay of people going to work who can’t afford rent, food and healthcare. There is no world where that is ok.
- code_for_monkey 1y agoa very strange group of people to play chicken with as well, considering how important their job is
- N19PEDL2 1y ago> air traffic controllers who are required to work without pay What happens to them if they just refuse to work? They certainly cannot be prosecuted, as the 13th Amendment prohibits slavery.