PASS Members Ratify New Contract Agreement

Details: Published: July 09, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ballots were counted today in the ratification vote for a new collective bargaining agreement with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) covering PASS's Air Traffic Organization

(ATO) bargaining units (Technical Operations, Flight Inspection Services and Mission Support Services). By a vote of 1527 to 281, PASS members in these bargaining units overwhelmingly voted to accept the new agreement.

"I'm pleased that PASS members recognize the value of the new agreement and overwhelmingly voted to ratify it today," said PASS National President Tom Brantley. "Our contract negotiating team did an extraordinary job to secure many important benefits for PASS members. This is a big step forward for PASS and the FAA."

Among other things, the new contract contains a variety of provisions regarding pay, including annual increases each year from 2013 through 2017. The new agreement also prevents the agency from reducing pay increases, as it did under the previous administration, based on factors outside the control of employees. In addition, the contract guarantees that PASS will have an active role in modernization of the National Airspace System (NAS) and requires the agency to notify PASS before it explores the contracting out of a bargaining unit function or service that would significantly change the scope of an employee's work responsibilities.

It is anticipated that the agreement will be implemented by the end of the year and PASS members will soon be able to obtain copies of the new agreement on the PASS national website.

PASS will now focus on contract negotiations for aviation safety inspectors and support personnel in Aviation Safety (AVS) who are responsible for inspecting and certifying every aspect of the commercial and general aviation industries. "Most of our AVS employees have been working under the same agreement for almost 20 years," said Brantley. "Having shown that, by working together, PASS and the FAA can find common ground despite the challenging economic and political climate that we all face, I am confident that we can reach a mutually beneficial agreement for these vital safety professionals without needless delay."

For more information or questions, please contact Kori Blalock Keller at (202) 293-7277 x110.

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For 36 years, PASS has represented 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.