SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Airplanes roaring through the sky over San Antonio International Airport is a pleasant sound for air traffic controller Travis Uhlhorn. But what isn't as enjoyable is the pay stub he received this week.
"I got one cent deposited," he told KENS 5.
The air traffic controller is one of thousands doing his job over the last month for free.
"We're still coming to work. We're still keeping airplanes safe. What's changed is the distraction that it's caused," he said, referring to the ongoing federal government shutdown that is not the longest in U.S. history.
Uhlhorn is not only a controller but also the union representative for 50 others at San Antonio International. In a job where he says there is no room for error, the lack of pay is turning into a dangerous distraction.
"How do you still work airplanes and not still have on the back of your mind, 'How many months can I dip into my saving?'" he asked.
In a letter to congressional leadership earlier this month, the National Air Traffic Controllers Association president echoed those concerns, stating, "No one should be under the illusion that it's business as usual for aviation safety during a shutdown."
"It can only go on for so long," Uhlhorn said. "When you have that uncertainty and you work a job like we work everyday, you don't need any extra stressors in the back of your mind."