These are not political pawns.
They are not bargaining chips.
They are not collateral damage in someone else’s fight.
They are the people who show up before dawn,
who stand on their feet for hours,
who keep millions of travelers safe every single day—
often for modest pay, with little recognition.
And right now?
They’re being told to wait.
To struggle.
To make do without the paychecks they’ve earned.
That’s not leadership. That’s failure.
If the argument is about policy—then argue policy.
If the fight is with another agency—then fight there.
But do not take it out on working people
who did nothing but show up and do their jobs.
We say this clearly:
Pay the TSA. Now.
End the political games.
Stop using workers as leverage.
Because security doesn’t pause.
Bills don’t pause.
Life doesn’t pause.
And neither should their pay.
If you can’t do your job without hurting them—
then maybe it’s time to question how you’re doing yours.
Until then, we stand with the agents.
We stand with their families.
We stand for basic fairness.
Pay them. Respect them. Let them work.
© Susie Stiles-Wolf
-
Author:
GeekSusie (
Offline) - Published: March 25th, 2026 12:49
- Category: Sociopolitical
- Views: 10

Offline)
Comments2
It is never wise to anger those that protect you. Worse still encouraging the villains and criminals paying them for crimes sets a bad example
"What does TSA mean in the United States?
DEFINITION: “TBA” and “TBD” mean “to be announced” and “to be determined,” respectively. These terms are used broadly in event planning; they indicate that although something is expected to happen, a particular aspect of that, such as place and time, remains to be confirmed." - direct copy and paste from Google query....
Not suggesting that is the only explanation available to me, merely that an explanatory note at source would obviate any confusion at all for those not directly involved in this particular industrial dispute.😜
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is the U.S. government agency that provides airport security by screening passengers and luggage to keep flights safe. We are currently experiencing a political dispute in Washington—tied to funding for agencies like Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)— that lead to a government shutdown and a budget standoff. TSA employees (many of whom are lower-paid frontline workers) have been required to keep working without receiving paychecks. This creates serious financial hardship for those workers. Even though this dispute has nothing to do with them, they are forced to pay the price as political pawns in a game of chicken between opposing political parties.
Great to see serious involvement (as evidenced from your response here) in what feels like a classic case of workers ground down 'til the pips squeak. Thanks for the background.
PS: Not the same mob who greet, accept or presumably deny entry to the US, as my experience (admittedly a few years ago now) was just a little oppressive...?
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