Air Traffic Controllers Union Boss Blasts Schumer, Dems For Prolonging Shutdown
President Nick Daniels of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) issued a stark warning to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party, saying the ongoing government shutdown has pushed America’s aviation system to a dangerous breaking point.
NATCA, which represents more than 10,800 certified air traffic controllers nationwide, has pleaded with Congress to approve a clean continuing resolution (CR) to reopen the government — a measure already passed by the Republican-led House weeks ago. Yet, Democrats have repeatedly blocked the bill more than a dozen times, holding funding hostage to push their partisan policy priorities.
Daniels explained that controllers — already stretched thin by a shortage of nearly 3,800 personnel — are now being forced into exhausting six-day, 10-hour workweeks to keep the skies safe. Though deemed “essential,” these workers haven’t been paid for over a month, receiving partial paychecks on October 14 before being left with $0 pay for multiple pay periods since.
Meanwhile, the FAA has furloughed 2,350 critical support staff — including engineers and technicians — halting new hiring and training, grounding modernization projects, and stalling critical maintenance. Aviation experts warn these disruptions have left the National Airspace System increasingly vulnerable to errors and equipment failures.
Speaking with Fox News, Daniels revealed the personal toll the shutdown has taken on the nation’s air safety workforce.
“These American patriots, they are the unsung heroes that Secretary Duffy speaks about so often. They are the ones that have been thrust into the spotlight, into center focus of a shutdown. And air traffic controllers, we don’t start shutdowns, we’re not responsible for ending shutdowns. Who does? Congress,” he said.
He continued:
“And that’s why we’re saying, end the shutdown immediately. It’s not like we’re sitting here talking about an aviation issue. We’re talking, I understand the fears, the frustrations of the American people. We want to do an amazing job on their behalf, and we are. We’re showing up to work every day, the best way that we can to get through this crisis. But this isn’t something that we asked for. We didn’t want to put ourselves in the middle of it.”
Daniels added that controllers are being “used as political pawns” in Washington’s tug-of-war:
“Yet here we are, the rope in the tug of war game that we didn’t ask for at all. And we should not be used as political pawns in any way, shape or form for these shutdowns.”
The toll is already being felt by travelers nationwide. Over the October 31–November 2 weekend — the worst period since the shutdown began — the FAA recorded 98 “staffing triggers,” leading to forced ground stops, rerouted flights, and slashed arrival rates. Half of America’s 30 busiest airports reported staffing shortages, with New York area absences spiking to 80 percent.
NATCA and other aviation authorities have issued dire warnings that the shutdown is “eroding critical layers of safety” and making U.S. airspace “less safe with each passing day.”
Even as safety risks mount, Schumer has admitted Democrats are prolonging the standoff for political leverage. During an October 9 interview with Punchbowl News, he bragged, “Every day gets better for us,” pointing to polls blaming Republicans for the impasse.
Schumer further dismissed reality by claiming the shutdown is the GOP’s fault because Republicans “control everything” — a statement that’s demonstrably false, as Senate Republicans cannot pass a clean CR without at least 60 votes under current rules.
While President Donald J. Trump and House Republicans continue urging Democrats to put the American people before politics, the air traffic system — and the millions of travelers who rely on it — remain at risk due to partisan obstruction in the Senate.