TSA agents are getting paid again. One union leader says it's not enough

Here & Now Anytime

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4.1 • 953 Ratings

🗓️ 30 March 2026

⏱️ 18 minutes

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Summary

The Trump administration came through on its promise to pay Transportation Security Administration workers, with officers receiving a deposit into their accounts on Monday. But Aaron Barker, local AFGE union leader, explains how his first paycheck in weeks was lacking.

Then, along with the war Israel and the U.S. are waging in Iran, Israel has been striking southern Lebanon. Reporter Borzou Daragahi details how the war is expanding across the Middle East.

And, college is expensive. Is a four-year degree still worth it? And what can you do to save money for when that acceptance letter comes? CBS News business analyst Jill Schlesinger answers those questions and more.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	WBUR Podcasts, Boston.
0:05.7	President Trump has said he has the emergency authority to spend money for TSA.
0:11.9	And the question I have is, why didn't he use that 45 days ago?
0:16.9	TSA agents are finally getting paid.
0:28.7	Thank you. TSA agents are finally getting paid. It's Monday, March 30th, and this is here and now anytime from NPR and WBUR Boston.
0:35.1	I'm Shiko Théuni.
0:38.7	Today on the show, Israel expands its invasion of Lebanon and now faces missile attacks from Houthis in Yemen.
0:45.7	And College Decision Day is right around the corner. We've got tips on how you can save for that four-year degree.
0:59.3	Thank you. you can save for that four-year degree. But first, TSA workers are getting their first paycheck in weeks.
1:04.7	They've gone more than 40 days of working without pay during the ongoing partial government shutdown.
1:10.5	Here's borders are Tom
1:11.6	Homan speaking on CNN on Sunday.
1:13.6	There is a plan to get these TSA agents pay, hopefully by tomorrow, Tuesday. So yeah, it's good news because these TSA officers are struggling.
1:23.6	Congress just adjourned for two weeks without approving a bill to end the shutdown. But President Trump
1:28.5	ordered the Department of Homeland Security to find the money to pay TSA workers. It's unclear how
1:34.0	quickly this will solve the extremely slow security lines that we've been seeing at major airports
1:39.0	across the country. Aaron Barker is a TSA officer and president of AFGE Local 554, which represents TSA workers across Georgia airports.
1:50.3	He tells Peter O'Dowd that he was both relieved and surprised by what he saw in his bank account today.
1:56.2	It's still not the full pay.
1:58.3	So officers are expecting, were expecting, to have their full back pay, and that did not
2:04.5	happen. Oh, so you're, okay, so you haven't been getting paid for 40-something days, and you're saying
2:09.4	you haven't gotten the back pay. How much was it? Was it just one pay period or what?
	...

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