If they are 'non-essential' why are we paying for them?.................
The term 'non-essential' is a specific term used in reference to a shutdown, and defines those positions not needed to keep the particular agency up and running as in, for example, a snowstorm. 'Essential' would be positions such as police and SOC, for example. 'Non-essential' would be clerical, IT, or other office positions.
I assume in your line of work there are positions which would not be needed in the event of a shutdown, whereas there are others which would be essential.
Because our owners collect the money for their pay at gunpoint.
"Non-essetial" here is used as in "not required for potential emergencies".
It is like saying Ford production workers are non-essential, because there are plenty of Fords on the road.
There are lots of federal employees that won't make any immediate difference to the running of the federal government if they are not at work for a few days.
I worked in DOD (Army) Research Development, Testing and Evaluation (RDT&E) for three decades.
We went through a number of these. Quite a few workers were "essential" if it would have cost the government a lot of money to shut down an ongoing test, for example.
Non-essential were administrative staff, building maintenance, and such.