BASTROP, Texas — Nearly 800,000 workers across the country missed their paychecks on Friday because of the government shutdown.
Some of those workers were right here in Central Texas.
At the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Bastrop, there are more than 200 employees. All of them missed paychecks on Friday.
"We are hardworking federal employees, dedicated. We come in and do our jobs...but we're not getting paid," Ellen Chamblin said.
Chamblin has been a correctional officer at FCI Bastrop for 19 years. She's also the president of the local chapter for the American Federation of Government Employees.
"What would you do if you weren't getting paid, and you didn't know when you would get paid – would you keep coming to work?" Chamblin asked.
She's seen shutdowns take their toll before, but never like this.
"A lot of my coworkers are struggling because they need to know when they're gonna be able to pay their bills," Chamblin said.
She said people are still showing up for work, but it's getting hard.
"Every day it gets worse...I don't know how long they'll last – I don't know how long they'll last with a good attitude and continue to come to work, for free, or whenever they're gonna get paid," Chamblin said. "Because that's what it is. We don't know when that's gonna happen."
She said some employees also don't know what to tell their families.
"I have coworkers that say, 'What do I tell my kids when I can't give em 20 bucks to go to the movies?'"
She, along with thousands of workers, wants this shutdown to end.
"I want them to play nice and do the right thing and fund this government fully – and stop playing chicken with our lives," Chamblin said.
She's hoping local agencies will work with government employees who may not be able to pay their bills on time.
President Trump is expected to sign legislation that would give employees retroactive pay once the shutdown is over.