@
diffident
It's all do do with the fact that once the US Government re-opens, all back pay will be honoured,
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As I understand it this is not automatically and necessarily true. Lawmakers need a majority in a separate agreement to make that true. They have agreed recently on guaranteeing funds for at least some staff. So staff could even be held hostage by witholding backpay.
From aerospace industry views on stress and fatigue effects and risks, the whole thing is quite irresponsible. I wonder if there is a legal precedent when an accident would happen in these circumstances.