Forcing federal correctional officers to show up for work during a government shutdown without pay isn’t just unfair — it is reckless, and it puts lives at risk.

Once again, we are staring down the barrel of a government shutdown. For the correctional officers at Thomson Federal Prison — and thousands more across the country — that means being ordered to come in, suit up, and do one of the toughest, most dangerous jobs in America, all while their paychecks are put on hold until Congress decides to get its act together. Does that sound just? Of course not. Is it dangerous? Absolutely.

Think back to the shutdown of 2019, which lasted 35 days. That’s 35 days of correctional officers doing their jobs — keeping the peace inside federal prisons, managing some of the most volatile situations imaginable — without pay. Picture trying to make rent, fill your gas tank for the 30-minute commute, or keep food on the table for your kids, all while you’re told your work is “essential” but your paycheck isn’t.

During that shutdown, food banks became a lifeline for staff at Thomson and prisons across the country. And no, that’s not an exaggeration — people tasked with keeping the public safe had to rely on charity to feed their families. With the cost of living soaring, more and more officers are living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Some couldn’t afford child care, so they faced a brutal choice: stay home and risk losing their jobs, or come in and leave their kids without anyone to watch them. This isn’t just about money. It’s about dignity, stability and peace of mind.

This isn’t just a Thomson problem. Federal prisons everywhere are struggling to recruit and keep staff. Every shutdown makes things worse. Why would you take a job where you risk your life daily, get paid less than local police, and then get told, “Sorry, you’ll have to wait for your check — but you still need to clock in?”

The truth is, more people are saying, “No thanks.” That’s a disaster in the making.

Correctional officers are law enforcement. They bear some of the highest risks in the field. Their suicide rate is about seven times higher than the general population — even higher than that of police officers. This job is stressful and dangerous, even when things are running smoothly.

When you pile on the stress of not knowing how you’ll pay your bills, it’s a recipe for burnout, mental health crises, and mistakes that put everyone — staff and inmates — in danger.

When shutdowns happen, the politicians responsible for this mess keep getting paid, while the people doing the real work are left scrambling for groceries and gas money.

Congress needs to face reality: Every single shutdown hurts real people. It hurts the families of correctional officers who have to explain to their kids why there’s no money for groceries. It chips away at the mental health of workers who already carry more stress than most of us can imagine. And every time it happens, it drives more good people out of these jobs, making our prisons less safe and our communities less secure.

Here’s what we’re asking of Congress: Support law enforcement, pass a budget and fully fund the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Stop treating correctional officers like an afterthought. Don’t force them to choose between showing up unpaid or losing their jobs. Don’t make them rely on food banks. Pay them — on time, every time. Their service, and our safety, deserve nothing less.

Jon Zumkehr is president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 4070.