Here & Now Anytime TSA agents are getting paid again. One union leader says it's not enough
Mar 30, 2026
Aaron Barker, AFGE Local 554 president representing TSA workers in Georgia, talks pay shortfalls and the human cost of weeks without full wages. Borzou Daragahi, veteran Middle East correspondent, explains how fighting is spreading in southern Lebanon and regional spillover risks. Jill Schlesinger, CBS business analyst, breaks down college sticker prices, confusing aid letters, and practical borrowing limits.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
TSA Officer Describes Immediate Financial Strain
- Aaron Barker received a partial deposit after 40+ days without pay during the shutdown.
- He used the money immediately for rent, a car note, and a light bill and reported loans and late notices piling up.
Partial Paycheck Left Many Back Owed
- The payout that arrived was not full back pay; officers expected two and a half pay periods but received less.
- Union leaders and AFGE lawyers are still interpreting the executive order wording about which pay periods are covered.
Union Seeks $10,000 Makewhole Bonus
- The union requested a $10,000 bonus to help officers recoup eviction, repossession, and late-fee damages.
- Barker framed the bonus as a way to make officers financially whole after hardship caused by missed pay.