Teamsters Union and United Airlines Call for End to Government Shutdown

During a press conference at the White House on Thursday, Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien and United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby urged Senate Democrats to put an end to the government shutdown. The shutdown has resulted in major delays and the grounding of flights as air traffic controllers and other staff work without pay. Both leaders emphasized the need for Democrats to end the filibuster on the Republican Continuing Resolution (CR) to protect American workers.

O’Brien expressed frustration, saying, “We took a position three weeks ago, cleared the CR, and went to the table to negotiate a deal. Don’t put working people in the middle of problems. We have to think about the families affected.” He painted a vivid picture of the impact on families, reflecting, “Think about when you have to tell your son or daughter that he or she cannot play a sport because you don’t get paid. Or what happens when you can’t make your mortgage payment?” He insisted on the importance of setting politics aside, urging decision-makers to negotiate and pass a clean CR as soon as possible.

Kirby also chimed in, highlighting the stress faced by air traffic controllers, TSA employees, and FAA workers due to the ongoing economic struggles linked to the shutdown. He pointed out that the entire economy is in jeopardy. “It’s stressing people out. It’s unfair to those people. It’s also stressing the economy,” he remarked. Though there were, initially, no immediate effects on the economy, he noted that the situation has steadily worsened. Airlines, he explained, can serve as real-time indicators of economic health, and even though impacts on reservations have been minor so far, they are accumulating.

Kirby stressed, “We are putting our entire economy at risk.” He suggested that, now that a month has passed, it’s time to pass a clean CR.

Meanwhile, air traffic controllers missed their first full paycheck following the shutdown. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that many cannot afford to miss another paycheck. Reports indicate that numerous air traffic controllers are picking up second jobs just to make ends meet, and the pressure of the shutdown could hinder their performance.

Despite these challenges, Duffy reassured the public that flights remain safe. However, a 75-minute ground stop was implemented at Newark Liberty International Airport on Wednesday due to “staffing issues” stemming from the shutdown, leading to significant delays for outbound flights.