The U.S. is nearly two weeks into a government shutdown, leaving essential government workers like air traffic controllers working without pay.

In Chicago, those air traffic controllers received a partial paycheck Tuesday, and if the shutdown continues they will not receive any pay come October 28.

"Bills don’t stop, creditors don’t stop, your mortgage payment doesn’t stop," said Drew MacQueen, VP of the Great Lakes Region National Air Traffic Controllers Association. "Controllers are like a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck, so again it’s just another burden that controllers don’t need to put up with on top of an already really stressful job.”

Air traffic controllers are responsible for communicating with pilots and providing instructions for safe take-offs and landings, as wel

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