WATCH: Air Site visitors Controllers Union Chief Rips Schumer, Democrats Over Authorities Shutdown
National Air Traffic Controllers Association Nick Daniels had harsh words for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Party as a whole when warning that the ongoing government shutdown is leading to critical safety issues in American airspace.
The National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the union representing over 10,800 certified air traffic controllers, has repeatedly demanded that Congress immediately pass a clean continuing resolution (CR) to end the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which is now set to become the longest in U.S. history. The House passed a clean CR a month ago, though Democrats have voted against it more than a dozen times in hopes of gaining legislative wishlist items.
NATCA President Nick Daniels has stressed that controllers are unfairly bearing the burden of the shutdown, as thousands of employees are currently working grueling six-day, 10-hour schedules all amid a preexisting 3,800-person staffing shortfall.
Air traffic controllers, classified as essential workers, are required to report for duty but have faced severe financial hardship. They received partial paychecks for pre-shutdown work on October 14, followed by $0 paychecks on October 28 and again in subsequent cycles, marking over 120 unpaid hours for many.
The shutdown has also furloughed 2,350 support staff (engineers and technicians), halted new controller hiring and training, and suspended equipment maintenance and modernization projects, leaving the system more fragile.
While speaking with Fox News, Daniels stated that hundreds of controllers have been forced to take second jobs in order to deal with the shutdown effects. “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.
“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,” he added.
“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.”
Schumer has indeed conceded that Senate Democrats are prolonging the government shutdown for political gain. In an October 9, 2025, interview with Punchbowl News, Schumer declared, “Every day gets better for us,” claiming that polling shows Americans are blaming Republicans for the shutdown.
He went on to indicate that he has no respect for the intelligence of his own voters, stating that since Republicans “control everything,” the shutdown is on them. In reality, Senate Republicans cannot pass the clean CR without 60 votes, meaning that they will need help from Democrats.
Air traffic controllers have become a central focus of the ongoing shutdown dispute, which has led to delays and cancellations across more than 20 U.S. airports.
Over the October 31 through November 2 weekend — the worst since the shutdown began — the FAA recorded 98 “staffing triggers,” forcing ground stops, reduced arrival rates, and rerouting. Half of the 30 busiest U.S. facilities reported shortages, with New York-area absences reaching 80 percent.
NATCA and aviation experts have also issued stark safety warnings, stating the shutdown “erodes essential layers of safety” and makes the National Airspace System “less safe with each passing day.”