‘Morale at an all-time low’: Fresno Air Traffic Controllers to receive blank paychecks next week 

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Deadlock on Capitol Hill, with the government shutdown in its tenth day, the livelihoods of federal workers remain on the line

“It adds stress to an already high stress job, morale is at an all-time low, and stresses at an all-time high,” says Jerry O’Gorman, President of Fresno’s National Air Traffic Controllers Union.

At this point, air traffic controllers at Fresno Yosemite International are without 20% or more of their owed paycheck. Union President Jerry O’Gorman says as early as next week they will start receiving zero dollar checks.

“As of now, a workforce is working for an ‘I owe you’ with no timeline on one that ‘I owe you’ will be reconciled,” says O’Gorman.

Just days ago, the Burbank airport tower went unmanned for hours with operations ran remotely out of San Diego. If a similar case were to happen in Fresno, O’Gorman says a team from the bay area would take over.

With lives at their fingertips, the public servants continue without pay. During the last shutdown, O’Gorman says many took on second jobs like driving for Uber.

“We can’t come in on an off day. We can’t not be 100%. We have to be on our game because the lives of the passengers in the air and all the ground are what we are protecting,” says O’Gorman.

An end is nowhere in sight as the spending plan stalemate continues at the Capitol with each side pointing fingers at the other.

In a statement to Action News, Valley Republican Congressman David Valadao says, “Congressional Democrats refused to act responsibly and instead forced a shutdown-wasting taxpayer dollars, putting critical programs at risk, and hurting families across the country just to score political points.”

But Congressman Jim Costa says democrats will not stop fighting for the healthcare of Americans across the country.

“We were there a week ago. We were there last week, and we’re going back next week, so Democrats are more than willing to sit down and have a conversation with speaker Johnson and that’s the only way that is going to get resolved,” says Congressman Costa.

The head of the local air traffic controllers union tells Action News safety is their utmost priority at all times, and that if a scenario like the one in Burbank happens in Fresno, it will mainly impact capacity, but safety will never be compromised.

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