SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — A San Diego restaurant owner who once worked as an air traffic controller is providing free meals to federal workers going without pay during the government shutdown.
Randy Wagner, who owns The Smoking Gun Restaurant, catered hot meals Friday for more than 100 air traffic controllers at Southern California TRACON. The controllers are among 13,000 air traffic controllers and 50,000 TSA officers working without paychecks through the shutdown.
"It's like helping out family," Wagner said.
Wagner understands the stress his former colleagues face during the shutdown. As an air traffic controller early in his career, he knows the pressure of the job.
"Very stressful, you're thinking about things outside your control, while looking at hundreds of lives in your hands at any moment," Wagner said.
The government classifies air traffic controllers as essential workers, meaning they must continue working despite not receiving pay.
"It's classified by the government as an essential worker, and if you abandon position, you could get fired," Wagner said.
Many controllers have picked up additional shifts outside their full-time jobs to make ends meet during the shutdown.
"So they might be calling out sick just to supplement the income they're not receiving right now," Wagner said.
Skrewball Whiskey is sponsoring the cost of the catering effort. Wagner hopes to continue providing meals with support from other community sponsors.
"As much support as we can to help them we will," Wagner said.
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