Do unpaid workers have cause to sue their employers for back pay with interest? What about damages?
Yes. https://www.govexec.com/pay-benefits/2019/01/federal-workfor... . They've yet to collect from the 2013 shutdown, however.
US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
101–110 of 612 posts
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#102Federal workers should start striking. I gather that in most cases they're explicitly prevented from striking, but I think there's a good chance that it's too unpopular to actually punish them. Also yesterday some leadership of the flight attendants union called for a general strike until it was over: https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/could-an-unlikely-av...
It's explicitly illegal for Federal Workers to strike, per the Taft-Hartley Act. On top of that, there's not much indication that this administration really cares about what's popular.
Federal workers haven't gotten a paycheck in over a month, suggesting that they should break the law because of the low likelihood of punishment underestimates the lengths to which this administration will go to punish those who oppose them. Just look at the more than 200 inauguration day protesters who were arrested and charged with felony rioting[0], many of whom are still fighting their cases in court.
[0]: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/11/06/in...
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#103Earlier quoted context omitted.
A lot of people come for the atmosphere and other festivities. I'm sure the actual number of people visiting town for the game is closer to 200k than it is to 50k.
Is this really true? I understand diehard fans going to tailgate parties, but don't the vast majority watch the event at a bar or at home?
For some people (not fucking pats fans though), this is a once in a lifetime chance to see THEIR team play in the biggest game . So yeah, people travel, migrate. For some people it feels like a religious journey. All of your kin are migrating across country for this one event... Just being in the city is cool, you will be seeing rams / patriots jerseys all over Atlanta for the whole week!
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#104Earlier quoted context omitted.
Some banks are setting up low interest loan programs only for federal employees. They are low interest and are focused on amounts of 2-3 time your paycheck. Granted the rate things are going that might not be enough.
Not to mention that low interest loans are sort of predatory in this context, despite being lower than market rate interest rates. I understand that they have a profit a motive, but it doesn't make them the "good guys" in this scenario. There really are no good guys during a government shutdown.
First two results returned by searching for "federal shutdown loan" show 0% interest loans:
https://www.navyfederal.org/about/government-shutdown.php https://www.interiorfcu.org/resources/government-shutdown/
I don't see how is it predatory.
Considering that it costs bank about 2% to borrow money this is borderline charity.
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#105There's no way the federal shutdown lasts too much longer. The heat is on and too many people feel the hurt now, especially in a place like New York. If I were a betting man, I'd say 3-4 days max.
If the airports remain shut down, the economic cost will quickly balloon to multiples of the $5.7B requested for the wall. It's literally a rounding error in the budget.
I wouldn't say its a rounding error, it's roughly the budget of the National Science Foundation which seems more sensible than a ...wall
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#106Earlier quoted context omitted.
I've seen too many people say, "Oh, government workers should all know this stuff happens all the time, and if they don't have months or years of savings in the bank then it's just their fault". It's really sad that instead of being compassionate, too many are focusing on what "should" be instead of what is the reality for many people. Like you point out, the reality is that most people don't have savings. They shoul…
The thing that really bothers me about that "They should have savings" logic, is the expectation that they should have to use them. Yes. They should have savings. EVERYONE should have min 3 months of income in savings. No one should be expected to use it.
In no first world country should you be afraid that your child will die because you can't pay your electric bill because you're not getting paid for a job you're forced to work.
> A Kentucky family whose main source of income was lost because of the partial government shutdown worries they will soon loose the ability to care for their 15-month-old daughter who needs special equipment to stay alive.
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2019/01/25/furloughed-fa...
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#107Earlier quoted context omitted.
Strictly speaking, their pay is delayed - they will be paid for all the work, eventually. Still, regular employees should not be going through this, though.
None of the contractors will be paid, as I understand it, only permanent federal employees.
Yes, that comes with the territory (contract cancellations or delayed/non payments are risks associated with running any business).
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#108Bearing in mind that ~40% of american's could not come up with $400 to cover emergencies, this is going to become more prevalent in the next few days / weeks as people will simply not be able to afford gas to get to their unpaid work. I read an article today discussing how TSA workers in HI are living in their cars in the airport parking lot as they cannot afford to commute. The FBI just cancelled its internship prog…
I've seen too many people say, "Oh, government workers should all know this stuff happens all the time, and if they don't have months or years of savings in the bank then it's just their fault". It's really sad that instead of being compassionate, too many are focusing on what "should" be instead of what is the reality for many people. Like you point out, the reality is that most people don't have savings. They shoul…
This is the longest shutdown ever, so we're kinda past the "reasonable expectation" line when you're in uncharted historical waters...
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#109There'll be a lot of angry people if the same thing happens in Atlanta over Super Bowl weekend.
Why is Super Bowl travel such a big deal? Doesn’t the stadium only seat about 50k people anyway? I understand that the game is exciting, but I don’t see what travel to one venu would be news.
75K
record attendance 77K
Re: US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages
#110There'll be a lot of angry people if the same thing happens in Atlanta over Super Bowl weekend.
Why is Super Bowl travel such a big deal? Doesn’t the stadium only seat about 50k people anyway? I understand that the game is exciting, but I don’t see what travel to one venu would be news.
There’s also people traveling for work because of the Super Bowl. The city of Atlanta is granting some exceptions to strip clubs due to the sheer influx of potential patrons and there is almost certainly knowledge among the performing community. Certainly not the only kind of business that will boom for the weekend.
https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/atlanta-strip-clubs-are-being-g...