Air Traffic Controller: I Called Out Sick To Protest Trump's 'Racist Fantasy'

A passenger at LaGuardia Airport on January 25, 2019

A high number of air traffic controllers took sick days on Friday, delaying planes at LaGuardia and Newark airports, as well airports in Washington D.C. and Jacksonville, Florida, and ratcheting up the pressure on Congress and President Donald Trump to reach a deal to end the government shutdown for three weeks. According to one air traffic controller, the sick days were a result of assurances that they would be paid for the days off, and to send a message to the Trump administration.

“Presently, I view my position to be a hostage for a racist fantasy, which is what I view the wall as,” one air traffic controller, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told Gothamist, referencing President Trump’s calls for a wall along the southern border.

“I'm not going to work on both moral grounds and there are bad precedents being set in terms of mistreating workers and specifically federal workers," the air traffic controller added.

Congressional legislation requires federal employees to get back pay once the shutdown is over. On Wednesday, air traffic controllers, who are considered essential employees, received a union directive clarifying what that bill means for them. The notice, which was obtained by Gothamist and confirmed by three controllers, stated that they would now receive pay for any sick or vacation days they take during the shutdown.

“We’ve gotten, inadvertently a green light from the government to take time off,” said the controller, who works at LaGuardia Airport. “We’re taking time off, which is why you’re starting to see what is happening today.”

Under the airline workers contract, it’s illegal to organize a political action, but this worker says others around the country did the same thing. Reportedly some federal airline workers have swapped their social media profile pictures with pawns.

Despite the three-week reprieve Trump announced Friday, this worker described it as freeing one hostage but keeping the rest to show good will for negotiations.

“There is no good will if you maintain hostages, it’s just desperation and manipulation. I’m proud our workforce flexed some muscle today,” they said after Trump’s announcement. “I want us to be willing to do it again when this tactic is used.”

The National Air Traffic Controllers Association, the union that represents the air traffic controllers, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But their president Paul Rinaldi released a statement on Twitter.

Luke Drake is the Vice President with Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, the union that represents more than 11,000 employees of the FAA. Drake said he believed today’s actions are a response to the pressure everyone has been under during the shutdown.

"People are hitting the breaking point financially, stress levels are through the roof, there's only so long people can go without pay before the stress sets in,” he said. He said workers feel “undervalued and disrespected.”

Lynda Bloomberg, a National Airspace Operations Manager at the FAA told Gothamist said many people are simply ready to quit. “I also know of many controllers who are ready to pull the plug and either retire or to go work for someone else,” she said. “I’ve also seen many Tech ops employees expressing the same views."

Asked if the president's announcement inspired any confidence, Bloomberg replied, "Personally I think some are still walking out the door. We are tired of being pawns."

Update: The National Air Traffic Controllers Association released a statement on Friday night, saying they "are grateful and relieved that the President and Congress reached an agreement to temporarily end the shutdown and reopen the government through February 15, 2019. We are hopeful for a long-term appropriations bill."

Additional reporting by Jake Offenhartz.

Stephen Nessen is the transportation reporter for WNYC. You can follow him on Twitter @s_nessen.