Orlando airport holds food drive for federal workers amid government shutdown

Credit: Orlando International Airport/Facebook

As the federal government shutdown enters its third week, the agency overseeing the Orlando International Airport has organized a food and gift card donation drive for the federal customs agents, air traffic controllers, and Transportation Security Administration officers affected.

Most of the federal government employees who have not already been furloughed due to the shutdown as of earlier this month are forced to continue showing up to work without a guarantee of pay. A final partial paycheck went out to affected employees Oct. 10, covering work through Sept. 30.

Federal workers who are deemed essential for government operations, including TSA officers at MCO, are approaching their first full pay period without a paycheck, one union leader told Orlando Weekly, as long as the government shutdown continues.

“The last pay received by officers was what many called a “half-check,” and depending on deductions, some received little or no pay at all,” said Candise Isla, executive vice president of the union representing TSA workers, the American Federation of Government Employees Local556. “Yet, despite that, TSA officers continue to report to duty, upholding their sworn oath to protect the traveling public,” she said.

To support affected employees — and their families — the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority is accepting non-perishable food items and $10 gift cards for stores like Publix, Target, and Walmart for workers through 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 24.

Isla, whose union represents hundreds of TSA officers across 11 Florida airports, said officers are already facing “difficult choices” about paying bills, buying groceries, or putting gas in their cars to get to work. Unfortunately, she added, TSA policy forbids the officers from accepting gifts directly from passengers themselves.

“Morale is strained, but our members continue to serve out of a deep sense of duty to the mission and to the flying public,” she said.

The federal government shutdown officially began Oct. 1 due to the failure of Republicans and Democrats in Congress to resolve disagreements concerning the federal budget. The primary issue at stake is funding for healthcare and the upcoming expiration of enhanced tax credits that, since 2021, have helped make health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace more affordable for millions of Americans. Those tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year, unless Congress extends them.

Democrats are pushing in favor of their extension, while Republicans haven’t committed to doing so. Floridians affected could include approximately 4.7 million small business owners, independent contractors, and others who don’t receive health insurance through their employer.

“In my Congressional district alone, 189,000 [people] will see their health care premiums go up anywhere from 50 to 300 percent,” Orlando-area U.S. Congressman Maxwell Frost told a delegation of state lawmakers Tuesday morning.

“A little bit more than double, is what people are receiving in the mail right now — not in a year right now — telling them that their health care is going to go up come January,” Frost, a Democrat, continued. “This impacts everybody: Democrats, Republicans, independents. And my ask is that folks here encourage members of Congress to encourage our leadership to send us back to work so we can reopen the government.”

Orlando airport holds food drive for federal workers amid government shutdown

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