For the second time in five months, many TSA officers at Tampa-area airports are working shifts without a paycheck after Department of Homeland Security funding lapsed. As they keep screening passengers, union volunteers and local food banks have scrambled to get them groceries, gas cards, and toiletries so they can juggle rent, utilities, and other bills. The short-term aid is being handed out at Tampa International, St. Pete–Clearwater, and Lakeland as airport leaders try to head off major weekend delays.
Union Shops Groceries To Keep Officers Afloat
Joseph Groover, first vice president of AFGE Local 556, has been leading grocery runs straight to TSA checkpoints and says the goal is to “make sure coworkers don’t carry the burden alone,” as reported by WTSP. He told reporters that some officers are already staring down eviction notices and empty gas tanks, and that the local has dipped into union dues to cover the first wave of supplies. Union leaders say the distributions are meant to bridge the gap while the funding fight drags on in Washington.
DHS Lapse Left Tens Of Thousands Unpaid
The pay squeeze began when DHS funding ran out in mid-February, leaving roughly 50,000 TSA employees nationwide labeled as essential and required to work without pay, according to CBS News. The outlet reported that unscheduled absences and separations climbed during the funding gap, with call-out rates spiking at several major hubs. Union officials warn that repeated missed paychecks make it harder to keep enough officers on the job and could lengthen security lines if the stalemate continues.
Local Lines Eased But Stress Remains
In the Tampa area, travel delays at Tampa International eased after a rough start to the week, although managers cautioned that the improvement might not last, as reported by WTSP. Airport officials said they consolidated lanes and shuffled personnel to cover staffing gaps, and some travelers still faced longer-than-normal waits earlier in the week. Union leaders say the grocery runs are meant to keep officers able to show up for shifts while they wait for federal paychecks to resume.
Feeding Tampa Bay Opens A Free Market
Feeding Tampa Bay has set up a free grocery market for affected officers and says it is coordinating resources and volunteer information, according to Bay News 9. AFGE Local 556, which represents screeners across North and Central Florida, posted that its leadership would be handing out supplies at multiple airports and urged members to reach out for help through its website. The local push mirrors similar efforts in Orlando and other Florida airports as the funding lapse ripples through the region.
What This Could Mean For Travelers
Travel experts say ongoing pay interruptions could steadily erode the screening workforce, a pattern reflected in national reporting on rising call-out rates and resignations, CBS News found. While affected TSA employees are entitled to back pay once lawmakers restore DHS appropriations, union leaders and former TSA managers warn that the immediate financial strain can still push workers to miss shifts or walk away from the job entirely. For now, most Tampa-area screeners are still reporting for duty, but local leaders describe the situation as fragile.
How To Help
People who want to step in can find donation and volunteer information at Feeding Tampa Bay. AFGE Local 556 is posting distribution updates and contact information on its website at AFGE Local 556. Union stewards say TSA officers who need help should reach out to local representatives while Congress works out the next round of DHS funding.
