Air traffic controller learns he's not being paid from paycheck

KTVU.COM ^ | Oct. 12, 2013 | Christien Kafton

[lurk]

Begging the question, why is the Fed govt running air traffic control in the first place?

[bgill]

Government workers get paid once a month. He got his last check on time so if he didn’t pay his bills this month, it’s not the shutdown’s fault. If he doesn’t get his next month’s check, then he can start complaining but not until then.

If he don’t have a few months’ cushion, then he has more problems than a possible late check. If I can manage a month on what he probably makes in a week, then don’t even attempt to lecture about hard times.

[Cvengr]

He get’s paid twice a month, when there are appropriated funds.

[Future Snake Eater]

If he doesn’t get his next month’s check, then he can start complaining but not until then.

He's worried. Do you think such worry is completely unwarranted? We're halfway through the month with no end in sight. Every capitulation by Republicans has been smacked down by Reid and Obama. You see this ending any time soon?

If he don’t have a few months’ cushion, then he has more problems than a possible late check.

Possibly, but that's far from atypical in this country whether someone is a private or public sector employee, so you're condemning a whole lot of folks there. He's still showing up for work on-time, shouldn't he be paid on-time?

If I can manage a month on what he probably makes in a week, then don’t even attempt to lecture about hard times.

You don't know how much he makes, so that's an assumption on your part. Plus, since the vast majority of people on this forum seem to believe that 100% of public sector employees are greedy, lazy leeches who deserve all of life's problems, I figure I'll stand in the door for some of them since I work with them every day and know some of them personally. I have an old friend who is a federal prison guard who has been pulling his graveyard shifts at the prison like clockwork, ostensibly for free since this whole thing started. I guess he can just suck it up--his wife and kids be damned, right?

[mesoman7]

“Colyer says after working an 80 hour pay period was stunned to see on his statement Friday that he had only been paid for 56 hours; right up until midnight October 1st.”

Yeah? Well join the club. Deal with it. Try listening to Dave Ramsay...it's called an emergency fund. If you spend every penny you bring in, then you've got problems. But that is YOUR problem (the ATC guy, not you BulletBob).

This is only the first pay period impacted. Chill out.

[bgill]

Yep, this is total assumption on my part:

http://bls.gov/ooh/Transportation-and-Material-Moving/Air-traffic-controllers.htm

[hattend]

BTTT

[Not A Snowbird]

That’s good for things like mortgages and stuff, but how are these folks getting food on the table?

There are resources available for people who run short.

[Mom MD]

I am more than an adult and every extra penny I have is going into retirement planning. I could get the $ in an emergency but would take 5-10 days. I dont know the last time I went out for a nice dinner, and certainly dont do it every week, and do not buy worthless items.
I pay my bills, and am putting kids through private schools and now private colleges, without ever taking a dime from anyone. Like to throw any more stones?

[B4Ranch]

You sound very efficient at saving and spending your money. Congratulations for not being on the public dole. What are your plans when the electricity goes out and you need cash to buy food?

[a fool in paradise]

Obamaphones cost money!

[Mom MD]

I have it covered. If the electricity is out for 6 mos will have more probs than just where to find cash to buy food. But loss of a paycheck would still hurt a lot - of course could keep the family going but mortgage/college payments etc would have to wait until could get cash from other funds.

You on the other hand sound very efficient at judging others.
If I ever want advice on how to run my life Ill get back to you.

[trebb]

No one now on the job was”sstunned” by the half paycheck! They are all very aware of the deal!

Yepper - I was 35 hrs short this last pay period. On the flip side, my banks shows my wife's soc sec deposit as "Pending" which means it's gonna happen. I thought that old people wouldn't be getting them and would have to take 5-day old road kill out of dumpsters.

[ops33]

Lots of marketable Military skills. I started out my AF career as a firefighter. If you enjoy that work it is probably one of the most marketable AF skills. Unfortunately, the most important military skills, infantry, artillery, armor, are not easily translated into a civilian job.

[zeestephen]

Re: “Lots of marketable Military skills.”

Yes.

I’ve worked in manufacturing much of my life.

Many of our best workers got their “Basic Training” in a professional skill in the military.

Also, quite often their maturity level, focus, and job discipline is superior to civilians of equal age.

[ops33]

Also punctuality. One of the first lessons I learned in the AF is do not be late. The SSgt I worked for had a simple formula; if you are 5 minutes early you're already 10 minutes late. Took me a while to figure out he was correct.