Atlanta proposes paying TSA workers during shutdown
ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - An Atlanta councilman says the city can make sure TSA screeners get paid by hiring them using city funds.
Michael Bond is proposing that as a temporary solution to sick outs that started in Atlanta on Monday.
The veteran lawmaker says he will consult with the city attorney to see if his proposal can be executed.
“We cannot wait on Washington,” the councilman said. “We must think outside the box to keep our passengers safe.”
SEE ALSO: Passengers dealing with long lines at Hartsfield-Jackson's TSA checkpoints
Operations at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport on Tuesday were almost normal, no very long lines.
But on Monday, lines of passengers filled all corners of the terminal, winding around the atrium. While TSA does not release specific numbers, sources indicate that at the start of the week, the call outs were four to five times the usual.
Bond believes that what he is proposing is not all that unusual. Currently, the federal government pays for every city cop who patrols the airport. The councilman says he doesn't see why the city cannot be given the option of hiring the screeners.
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms says she has explored the direct hire idea but thinks it may not be feasible.