Across the country, PASS members are stepping up their efforts to tell their members of Congress that privatization of the air traffic control system is a bad idea. Site visits and meetings with members of Congress or their staffers are excellent ways to convey this message. This month, Chapter SC3 President Brian Strickland and Vice President David Brown took the opportunity to discuss this important issue with lawmakers.
By Monika Warner, Chapter WA3 President/Region III Assistant/PR Committee Chair
PASS WA3 once again emerged as a legislative power hitter in March by attending four events in just five days! PASS WA3 is willing to work as long and hard as needed to educate Congress and defeat the privatization effort, which could end the federal careers of up to 38,000 FAA employees.
With the FAA reauthorization debate underway, PASS has been asking members to contact their members of Congress and ask them to oppose privatization of the air traffic control member. Chapter TX1 member Tim Lindsey took these efforts one step further when he invited his representative, Rep. Bill Flores (R-Texas), to a site visit at the System Support Center (SSC) in Waco, Texas. Lindsey worked with others at his facility, including controllers, who oppose privatization and want to see the air traffic control system remain a responsibility of the federal government.
Bill Does Not Include Language to Privatize the Air Traffic Control System
Today, the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists, AFL-CIO (PASS), the union that represents systems specialists and inspectors at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is encouraged that the Senate version of the FAA reauthorization legislation (S.2658) does not include language that would privatize the country’s air traffic control system.
PASS National President Mike Perrone joined other transportation union leaders at the Transportation Trades Department, AFL-CIO (TTD) Executive Committee meeting last weekend in San Diego to discuss a variety of crucial transportation priorities and issues of focus regarding the upcoming presidential election.
By Monika Warner, Chapter WA3 President/PR Committee Chair/Region III Assistant
This past weekend, I joined my Chapter WA3 brothers and sisters to continue speaking out against privatization of the air traffic control system while volunteering at the NW Aviation Conference & Trade Show in Puyallup, Wash. This annual gathering draws 10,000 aviation enthusiasts across the industry, including product manufacturing, flight schools, airports, chamber of commerce, commercial and general aviation pilots, repair centers, military recruiters, federal workers, aviation special interest groups, and more! This is a tight community.
