ARBITRATOR FINDS FAA IN VIOLATION OF MINIMUM STAFFING AGREEMENT

Details: Published: July 18, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC– On Monday, a federal arbitrator upheld a grievance that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) fell below a minimum staffing level of 6,100 systems specialists, the FAA employees who maintain and certify the air traffic control system. The grievance was filed by the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS), the union that represents systems specialists.

“This is a huge victory for aviation safety,” said PASS President Tom Brantley. “The FAA carelessly allowed systems specialist staffing to fall below 6,100 – the absolute minimum number PASS believes is necessary for the agency to maintain the world’s safest air traffic control system.”

Brantley explained that the FAA allowed systems specialist staffing to fall below 6,100 because hiring these employees was not a high enough budget priority for the agency.

As a result of the arbitrator’s decision, the FAA was ordered to raise the total number of technical employees to the minimum staffing level of 6,100. PASS expects that the agency will appeal the decision, remaining below the required staffing level while the appeal is processed.

“The arbitrator’s decision reinforces PASS’s argument that the FAA has insufficient staffing,” Brantley noted. “If the FAA continues to delay the hiring of additional systems specialists, the safety of the flying public will be at risk.”

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PASS represents more than 11,000 employees of the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Defense who install, maintain, support and certify air traffic control and national defense equipment, inspect and oversee the commercial and general aviation industries, develop flight procedures and perform quality analyses of the aviation systems. For more information, visit the PASS website at www.passnational.org.