FAA FAIR LABOR MANAGEMENT DISPUTE RESOLUTION ACT GAINS SUPPORT IN THE AVIATION COMMUNITY

Details: Published: July 18, 2013

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Tom Brantley, national president of the Professional Airways Systems Specialists (PASS, AFL-CIO), joined several other aviation unions in displaying their support for the “Federal Aviation Administration Fair Labor Management Dispute Resolution Act of 2006” (S.2201). Following the press conference, Brantley issued the following statement:

“PASS is extremely grateful to Senator Barack Obama and his Senate colleagues for introducing this legislation, which is absolutely vital to ensuring a fair shake at contract negotiations for members of PASS. We are also humbled by the support of our brothers and sisters from the Air Line Pilots Association, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, the Transportation Trades Department of the AFL-CIO and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association.

“It is extremely important to PASS that this legislation receives fair and open discussion within Congress. The FAA is currently at impasse with four of PASS’s five bargaining units and, while negotiations in the remaining bargaining unit have just begun, we have no doubt that the FAA will try to force those negotiations to impasse as soon as possible in order to impose unfair working conditions on employees before legislation can be enacted.

“Without a chance to negotiate a fair contract, who can say what will become of these critical employees whose only motivation is the safety and continued growth of the aviation industry. FAA employees represented by PASS, as well as all dedicated FAA workers, deserve an opportunity to negotiate in good faith for a contract that benefits all parties.

“PASS members possess unrivaled knowledge of many critical aspects of the National Airspace System; yet, the FAA continues to devalue their opinion, threatening aviation safety in the process. We can only hope that today’s showing of solidarity in addition to the growing support on Capitol Hill for S.2201 will send a clear message to the FAA that it cannot disregard the views and input of PASS members nor any other dedicated federal worker who is attempting to bargain in good faith.”

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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.